A New Level of Autonomy for ChatGPT
OpenAI has introduced Deep Research, a new capability in ChatGPT that enables the AI to gather and analyze factual information in minutes. According to OpenAI, this tool can accomplish in tens of minutes what would take a human hours.
The feature is currently available for ChatGPT Pro subscribers at $200 per month and will soon be rolled out to ChatGPT Plus and Team users. There’s no confirmation yet on whether it will be available for free-tier users, but OpenAI has a track record of gradually making advanced features more accessible.
What Makes Deep Research Unique?
Deep Research functions as a virtual analyst—you provide a prompt, and ChatGPT analyzes hundreds of online sources to generate a comprehensive report. While primarily designed for business, research, and professional use cases, it also has exciting applications for everyday users.
Here are three standout examples of what Deep Research can do:
Finding Hard-to-Recall Information
Sometimes, recalling the name of a movie, book, or TV show based on vague details can be frustrating. Standard AI models like ChatGPT 4o may struggle with such queries due to limited access to real-time information.
With Deep Research, however, users can input fragmented details—such as specific scenes from a TV episode—and the AI will identify the exact show, episode, and relevant information. For example, OpenAI demonstrated how Deep Research identified an episode from the TV show Counterpart based on a few remembered scenes.
For anyone who frequently experiences “tip-of-the-tongue” moments, this could become an invaluable tool.
Smarter Shopping Decisions
Deep Research can assist users in making well-informed shopping choices by analyzing product specifications, user reviews, and other relevant factors. OpenAI showcased how the tool can help someone find the perfect snowboard by considering slope conditions, terrain type, and personal preferences.
Rather than spending hours researching the best options manually, users can rely on AI to compile a list of recommendations with detailed explanations on why each product is a good fit.
More Reliable General Knowledge Searches
Traditional AI models often provide broad, estimated answers to complex questions. Deep Research, however, conducts a thorough analysis of multiple sources to offer more precise and well-supported responses.
For instance, when asked about the average retirement age for NFL kickers, a standard AI model might give a general estimate (e.g., “between 35 and 40 years old”). Deep Research, in contrast, examines multiple case studies and industry reports to provide a detailed breakdown of retirement trends, reasons behind varying ages, and specific player examples.
The Future of Deep Research

While Deep Research is currently a premium feature, its potential is undeniable. By significantly improving ChatGPT’s ability to analyze and synthesize data, OpenAI is pushing AI closer to being a truly independent research assistant.
For professionals, students, and everyday users alike, this feature could revolutionize how we gather and process information. The only question now is how soon it will become available to a wider audience.