Let GenAI Do the Research: Harnessing Deep Research with ChatGPT

Introduction

I've discovered something game-changing: a feature that allows AI to conduct research on its own, browse the web in real time, and deliver summarized, cited insights—so I don’t have to.

That’s Deep Research for you.

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What is Deep Research?

OpenAI's Deep Research mode enables ChatGPT to function as a virtual research assistant. It:

• Autonomously searches the web (for up to 30 minutes) to gather information.

• Produces a polished, citation-backed report.

• Handles text, PDFs, and images with reasoning powered by the o3 model.

This allows for deep, multi-layered exploration of topics—from academic subjects to market data—all within a single AI session.

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How Deep Research Works

Step-by-Step:

1. Initiate Deep Research
   Begin a ChatGPT conversation with a prompt like:

    "Use Deep Research to compile a report on the history and future of Web3, including sources."
   

2. AI Browses the Web
   The system spends 5–30 minutes autonomously scouring web pages, images, PDFs, and data.

3. Generate Report
   You receive a comprehensive summary with relevant citations and references.

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Usage & Access

• Free users get about 5 lightweight queries/month (using a less intensive model).

• Plus, Team & Enterprise users receive 10 full-model queries + lightweight versions.

• Pro tier subscribers enjoy 125 full-model + 125 lightweight queries/month.

Think of it as having an AI research assistant working alongside you—great for blog writing, product research, competitive analysis, and more.

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A Developer-Friendly Twist

Imagine automating research tasks using the API:

import { Configuration, OpenAIApi } from "openai";
import fs from "fs";
require("dotenv").config();

const openai = new OpenAIApi(new Configuration({
  apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
}));

async function deepResearch(topic) {
  const res = await openai.createChatCompletion({
    model: "o3",
    messages: [
      { role: "system", content: "You are a research assistant that uses Deep Research." },
      { role: "user", content: `Use Deep Research for 30 minutes to generate a report on: ${topic}` },
    ],
    tools: ["web_search", "file_search"],
  });
  return res.data.choices[0].message.content;
}

(async () => {
  const report = await deepResearch("Quantum computing breakthroughs in 2025");
  fs.writeFileSync("quantum_report.txt", report);
  console.log("Research report saved: quantum_report.txt");
})();

Note: The tools parameter is conceptual—refer to the Responses API and Agents SDK for tool-enabled workflows.
(Toolkitly, Gadgets 360)

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Why This Feature Matters in Your GenAI Journey

• Scale your productivity: Save hours of manual research in a few minutes.

• Stay informed: Get accurate, citation-rich insights from live sources.

• Build smarter AI tools: Incorporate deep research capabilities into your apps and dashboards.

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Wrap-Up

You learned today:

• What Deep Research is and how it works

• How to use it effectively across ChatGPT tiers

• A developer-friendly example of automating Deep Research via code