OpenAI introduces AI agent Deep Research

OpenAI has announced a new AI agent designed to help companies and organizations to conduct in-depth multi-step research on the internet called Deep Research.

Deep Research is powered by a version of the upcoming OpenAI o3 model that’s optimized for web browsing and data analysis. The AI agent adds reasoning to search and is capable of interpreting and analyzing massive amounts of data, including text, images, and PDFs, on the internet.

According to the ChatGPT developer, the entire process only takes between five and thirty minutes. Users will receive a notification once the research is complete. Deep Research generates reports in the chat window containing the results of the research, including source references.

Once the report is generated, users can also view a summary of the deep research thought process. This should make it easier to verify the information the feature produces. OpenAI plans to expand Deep Research in the coming weeks to include embedded images, data visualization, and other analytic outputs.

“The ability to synthesize knowledge is a prerequisite for creating new knowledge. For this reason, Deep Research marks a significant step toward our broader goal of developing AGI [artificial generative intelligence, ed.], which we have long envisioned as capable of producing novel scientific research,” OpenAI says in a blog post.

Deep Research is currently only available to ChatGPT Pro users, but will be coming to ChatGPT Plus and Team users later. To use ChatGPT Deep Research, you’ll have to select ‘deep research’ in the message box and then enter a query. You’ll also have the option to attach files or spreadsheets.

OpenAI states that Deep Research has its limitations. For example, it can sometimes ‘hallucinate’ facts or make incorrect inferences. In addition, it may struggle with distinguishing facts from fiction, and often fails to convey uncertainty accurately. OpenAI however expects to resolve these issues quickly.

The new feature in ChatGPT is reminiscent of Gemini Deep Research. Google’s AI research tool was announced in December 2024 and can also conduct research based on user prompts. Gemini Deep Research, like the new ChatGPT agent, is able to generate research reports, including source citations.