OpenAI has launched a new feature called ‘deep research‘, a new AI tool to help users with complex and multi-step research tasks online. The maker claims that this new tool is capable of fetching in-depth and accurate information from the internet in a fraction of the time that it would take to do the same task manually.
“Deep research is OpenAI’s next agent that can do work for you independently—you give it a prompt, and ChatGPT will find, analyze, and synthesize hundreds of online sources to create a comprehensive report at the level of a research analyst. Powered by a version of the upcoming OpenAI o3 model that’s optimized for web browsing and data analysis, it leverages reasoning to search, interpret, and analyze massive amounts of text, images, and PDFs on the internet, pivoting as needed in reaction to information it encounters,” company wrote in its blog post.
How it works
Deep research functions like an advanced research assistant. The tool is powered by OpenAI’s advanced model, which can gather information from various online sources, including websites, PDFs, and images, and turn it into a cohesive and well-documented report.
For example, if you’re a business owner needing to evaluate the best marketing strategies for 2025, Deep research will search through the latest articles, studies, and trends online, then create a detailed report with key insights, actionable recommendations, and citations. This is a task that could take hours of manual research but is completed within minutes by this new AI tool.
Why it is useful
Professionals in areas like finance, policy, or engineering can rely on deep research to gather and analyse large volumes of data. For instance, if you’re an investor wanting to evaluate a new stock, deep research can analyse the company’s performance, market trends, and economic factors to provide an informed recommendation.
Getting started with deep research
Using Deep Research is simple. In ChatGPT, users can select the “deep research” option, enter their query, and let the AI take it from there. If additional context is needed, such as a spreadsheet or specific file, users can attach those as well. As the research process runs, users can monitor a sidebar that provides a summary of the steps being taken, along with links to sources. For now, Deep Research is available to Pro users, with plans to roll it out to Plus and Team members in the coming months.
