OpenAI has recently extended access to its "Deep Research" tool to free ChatGPT users, albeit with certain limitations. This move allows individuals without a paid subscription to leverage the power of AI-driven in-depth research, a feature previously exclusive to paying customers. Free users now receive five "Deep Research" queries per month.

Deep Research is designed to conduct multi-step research on the internet for complex tasks. It functions as an agent, autonomously searching, analyzing, and synthesizing information from numerous online sources to generate comprehensive reports. It can accomplish in tens of minutes what might take a human researcher hours or even days.

The version available to free users is a "lightweight" iteration powered by a version of the o4-mini model. This adaptation is designed to be more cost-effective for OpenAI while maintaining a high standard of quality. While it might deliver somewhat shorter responses, the "depth and quality" of the research should remain intact.

To use Deep Research, users can select the "Deep Research" option within the ChatGPT interface when entering a query. The AI may then ask clarifying questions to refine the research parameters and ensure the generated report is as relevant and focused as possible. Users can also attach files, images, or spreadsheets to provide additional context.

Once initiated, Deep Research can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to complete, depending on the complexity of the task. During this time, a sidebar will display a summary of the steps being taken and the sources being consulted. Users will receive a notification once the research is complete.

Deep Research is intended for tasks that demand thorough, precise, and reliable research. It can be useful for knowledge work in fields like finance, science, policy, and engineering. It is also helpful for consumers seeking personalized recommendations on significant purchases. The tool provides clear citations and summaries, facilitating easy verification of the information.

This expansion of Deep Research access positions ChatGPT as a more competitive tool against rivals like Perplexity, which already offers similar capabilities to all users. Perplexity Pro subscribers enjoy unlimited access, while free users receive five queries per day.

For users who require more than five Deep Research queries per month, OpenAI offers several paid subscription options. ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers receive ten full Deep Research queries per month, plus an additional 15 lightweight queries. Pro users receive 125 full queries and 125 lightweight queries per month. Once the limit for the full version is reached, queries automatically switch to the lightweight version.

It's important to note that ChatGPT's free tier also has other limitations. For example, free users can only use GPT-4o, the model that powers Deep Research, a limited number of times within a five-hour window. After reaching this limit, users are prompted to switch to GPT-4o mini or upgrade to ChatGPT Plus. Despite these limitations, the addition of five monthly Deep Research queries offers substantial value to free ChatGPT users, enabling them to conduct in-depth research on a variety of topics.