Deep Research in ChatGPT: What It Is and How This Feature Can Help You

April 5, 2025
33 min
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This article was developed using AI
Author at Level UP Academy
Elena Simciuc

Deep Research is a new feature in ChatGPT that turns it into your personal internet researcher. Instead of simply answering questions based on existing knowledge, ChatGPT in Deep Research mode independently searches the web, analyzes dozens of sources, and provides you with a detailed report, complete with links to those sources. This feature was introduced recently and is designed for a wide range of users—from students and professionals to anyone who needs to understand a complex topic. Let’s break it down in simple terms: what Deep Research can do, why it’s useful in everyday life, work, or study, and how to use it effectively.

Automatic Information Search: ChatGPT independently performs searches on the internet and analyzes the websites and articles it finds. It uses complex algorithms (sets of clear instructions for the program, a sort of "recipe" of actions) to review search results and select relevant facts. For example, if you ask about a rare historical event, Deep Research will read multiple articles and documents about that event to form a complete answer.

Analysis of Different Data Formats: The feature can work not only with web pages but also with other formats. The Deep Research algorithms can "read" texts, images, or PDF files if needed for the answer​ (trends.rbc.ru). Furthermore, you can attach files to your query (e.g., a table, document, or image) – the chatbot will take them into account during analysis​ (help.openai.com). This allows Deep Research to synthesize information from various sources: from news articles to scientific reports and even your own data.

Multi-Step Investigation: During the task, the AI can change its search strategy. If the first attempt does not yield the desired result, ChatGPT will redirect its efforts, trying other search queries or tactics. Essentially, it breaks down a complex task into smaller steps and plans them like a researcher. This approach is called the "algorithm" or action plan of the AI. For example, when analyzing a market, Deep Research might first gather general statistical data, then separately search for expert opinions, and in the end, compare all the results. If at any point the model realizes it is heading in the wrong direction, it will adjust its plan​ (vc.ru). In other words, Deep Research can “think on the go” – just like a human analyst would when confronted with new facts.

Complete Report with Conclusions and Sources: The result of Deep Research’s work is not just a single paragraph of text, but a detailed answer, often in the form of a report. You receive either a cohesive text with detailed explanations or a structured list of key points – depending on your request. Moreover, each important statement is accompanied by a link to the source from which the information was taken​ (help.openai.com). In other words, the answer will contain citations or links to articles and websites where the facts were found. This makes it easy to verify the accuracy of the data or find out where a particular figure came from. An OpenAI representative compared the final answer from Deep Research to a research paper: “Essentially, it’s a comprehensive report with all the necessary references to sources – as if it was prepared by an analyst or expert in the field”​ axios.com). If necessary, the report can include tables, lists, and, in the future, even images and charts for clarity​ (help.openai.com).
Deep Research is a special mode in ChatGPT that gives artificial intelligence (AI) more autonomy in conducting multi-step research. AI (artificial intelligence) is a program capable of imitating human thought and learning. In Deep Research mode, this program acts as a “mini-researcher” within ChatGPT: it formulates its own search steps, finds the necessary data, and processes it without continuous human involvement​ (trends.rbc.ru, devby.io). Simply put, Deep Research turns the chatbot into an agent that doesn't just provide a brief answer but actively “scrapes” the internet, understands the context, and gathers a comprehensive response from multiple sources​ (devby.io).
What Deep Research Can Do:
What is the Deep Research Feature?
It’s important to understand that Deep Research is a much more powerful mode than a regular chat with GPT. In regular mode, ChatGPT responds in seconds, using the knowledge it was trained on, and can use a quick search function for reference. But Deep Research goes further: it can dig deeper and longer, often reviewing hundreds of sources and spending several minutes on analysis to provide the most complete answer​ (help.openai.com). This thorough approach is valuable in situations where a superficial answer is not enough, and a question needs to be broken down “into the smallest details.”
Product Search and Comparison: Planning a major purchase, such as a car, laptop, or sports equipment? Typically, you would read reviews, compare specifications across different sites. Deep Research can do this for you. You provide criteria (budget, necessary features, brands), and the AI will conduct its own market research. It will study expert reviews, user feedback, gather data on models, prices, and features. Then, it will present a report comparing options, listing their pros and cons, and providing a table with specifications and prices​ (trends.rbc.ru). For example, a test was conducted where Deep Research helped choose the ideal snowboard for prepared slopes at a specific resort in Japan, considering the budget and user requirements. The chatbot examined the features of ski slopes, read reviews from snowboarders, checked manufacturers' websites, and provided a summary table of suitable models with their strengths and weaknesses​ trends.rbc.ru). This approach saves time and gives you confidence that you've considered all the information before making a purchase.

Market and Competitor Analysis (for Work or Business): If you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or just want to understand an industry, Deep Research will be your analyst. It can collect market analytics on a given topic: find statistics, reports, news, mentions of competitors, etc. For example, you could ask, "Analyze the electric vehicle market: market shares of leading companies, growth rates, and the latest technological trends." In response, you’ll get a detailed analysis with statistics, graphs, and insights on trends. This information will help you make business decisions or prepare for a presentation. Deep Research is also convenient for comparing competitors: it will find data on products, prices, reviews, and present you with a comparative report. Even if you're not an expert in the field, a well-formed request will provide insights as if a whole team of specialists had worked on it.

Content Ideas and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Assistance: Bloggers, journalists, and content creators can use Deep Research as a smart editorial assistant. Suppose you need to prepare material on a popular topic or come up with article ideas that will engage your audience. ChatGPT, in deep research mode, will examine what’s trending, what questions people are asking, which keywords are being searched most frequently (this means performing basic SEO – Search Engine Optimization). SEO refers to adjusting your content so it ranks better in search engines, such as selecting popular keywords and topics. Deep Research can analyze search engine results, trending posts on the topic, even forums and social media, to understand audience interests. As a result, it will offer content ideas, such as a list of potential article headlines with a brief description of why this topic is relevant and what aspects to cover. Furthermore, it will provide sources—indicating where it found the information about the popularity of a given topic so you can verify the trends. This is particularly useful for planning an editorial calendar or brainstorming new materials.

Education and Research: Students and learners can turn to Deep Research for help in gathering materials for essays, term papers, and even scientific articles. Imagine you need to write a paper on the impact of technology on the economy. Instead of browsing through dozens of articles on your own, you can ask ChatGPT: "Please gather information on the impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market over the past 5 years, with references to academic sources." The AI will start reviewing scientific publications, organizational reports, statistics, and provide an overview with citations from studies, authors’ names, and the journals where the data was published​ (trends.rbc.ru). The final report will list key conclusions from different authors, and you can then build your own work based on this overview. Of course, it’s important to remember academic ethics—copying text without analysis is not allowed, but as a source of information and a starting point for your own conclusions, Deep Research is invaluable. It saves time during the initial stage of data collection and ensures you don’t miss important studies related to your topic.

Travel Planning and Other Projects: Even for everyday tasks, Deep Research can be useful. For example, planning a trip to an unfamiliar country often requires gathering information about visas, the best cities to visit, budget hotels, weather, attractions, and much more. In Deep Research mode, you can make a comprehensive request: "Help me plan a 10-day trip to Italy in September: budget – this much, interested in historical sites and food tourism." ChatGPT will analyze travel websites, traveler blogs, forums (including reviews), and create a detailed itinerary for you. It will include recommended cities and attractions, a rough day-by-day itinerary, transportation advice (e.g., where to rent a car or take a train), an approximate budget, and links to sources (e.g., articles like "10 must-see places in Italy" or reviews on TripAdvisor). You essentially receive a ready-made travel plan, summarizing the experiences of many travelers. Of course, the plan can later be adjusted to suit your preferences, but starting your vacation preparation with such a report means you won’t miss anything important. Similarly, Deep Research can help with other practical tasks: from planning an apartment renovation (with material and design advice) to comparing different workout methods if you’ve decided, for example, to focus on your health.
The Deep Research feature was created with tasks requiring thorough information gathering in mind. OpenAI notes that it was initially aimed at professional researchers – scientists, analysts, engineers – who need accurate and detailed data​ (trends.rbc.ru). However, it is also very useful for ordinary people in everyday life, education, or business when a complex question arises.
Here are some situations where Deep Research can be helpful:
Why is Deep Research Needed: Where Will It Be Useful?
As you can see, the scope of application for Deep Research is vast – from scientific research to everyday issues​ (trends.rbc.ru). Anywhere that requires delving into a topic and gathering scattered information from different sources, this feature will be a real helper. With it, you can accomplish in minutes what would take a person hours or even days of meticulous work.

It’s important to note that Deep Research currently works slower than regular chat and is not available to everyone. On average, a single query takes between 5 minutes to half an hour​ (trends.rbc.ru) – this is the price for the depth of analysis. Initially, the feature was launched for ChatGPT Pro subscribers (the professional version), and later became available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers on a limited basis (a few queries per month)​ (vc.ru). Gradually, it is planned to be opened to all users, but at the moment, it is not available in the free version​ (vc.ru,trends.rbc.ru). So, if you don’t have access to it yet, don’t worry; this technology is likely to become widely available in the future. And for those who do have access, it’s worth using it wisely to get the maximum benefit.
1. Activate the Deep Research mode and pose a clear request
Example: In the ChatGPT interface, there is a separate mode called "Deep Research" (with an icon of a microscope), alongside the regular search. Select it so that the chatbot understands that you need to conduct in-depth research.
To start a deep research session, select the "Deep Research" mode in the ChatGPT interface (next to the regular search button). Then, formulate your request as clearly and thoroughly as possible. Remember, ChatGPT is smart but not telepathic: it works based on what you write.

How to describe the task: It is best to write your request as a detailed assignment. Specify exactly what you need to find out or get. For example: "Please create a detailed comparative review of smartphones under $300 with the best camera and battery, with links to reviews and specifications" or "Please research the history of Stoicism, its key ideas and figures, and provide sources." This format clearly communicates to the AI what your end goal and criteria are. If the task is complex, don’t be afraid to break it into several sentences or a list.

When describing the task, make sure to specify any context or limitations, if any. For example, when asking about smartphones, it’s important to mention the budget (up to $300), what features are a priority (camera, battery), and possibly any brands you’re interested in. For a request about Stoicism, you could clarify that you need a historical overview and key ideas – this way, the AI will understand that you're looking for an academic historical excursus, not casual advice. The more specific and clear you are in your request, the more relevant and useful the result will be.

Note that you can also ask very broad or open-ended questions; Deep Research will break them down into sub-tasks by itself. However, if you can give it a hint about what is important upfront, you will save time later by avoiding follow-up questions. A good practice is to read your request from the perspective of an outsider: is it clear what you're asking? If the request is ambiguous, rephrase it.
Now, let's look at how exactly to use this feature and get the best result. Despite its complexity, Deep Research is quite easy to use if you follow a few guidelines.
How to Use Deep Research Correctly
2. Add Details: Parameters, Examples, Files
Clarifying parameters can help narrow down the search significantly. Think about the specific requirements or preferences you have. For instance, when planning a trip, specify the country, the duration of the trip, the budget, and your interests (museums, beaches, gastronomy). When ordering a market research report, mention the industry or market you're interested in, the period (last 5 years? current year?), and whether you need numbers or just general conclusions.

Sometimes, Deep Research may prompt you for additional details. In some cases, when you submit a request, ChatGPT generates a small form with follow-up questions (help.openai.com). For example, if you ask to find the best bike for the city, the system might clarify: "Please specify the maximum budget, the preferred type of bike (mountain, road, etc.), and whether brand preferences are important." This is done to ensure that the result is as accurate and personalized as possible (help.openai.com). Try to answer such clarifications — this will help the AI understand your preferences better and prevent it from wasting time on irrelevant information.

In addition to text, feel free to use attachments when needed. If you have a data table, a list of requirements, or a sample document, attach them to your message (there is an "Attach" button in the interface). For example, if you're conducting a competitive analysis and already have a list of companies and their metrics, upload it, and Deep Research will take that data into account, possibly supplementing it and including it in the report (help.openai.com). Or, if you have an article on the topic and want to delve deeper, attach the PDF of that article. ChatGPT in research mode can process uploaded files and extract information from them (trends.rbc.ru), which is very convenient: no need to manually copy the text. The richer the "input" data, the more valuable the "output" will be.
3. Wait and Monitor the Progress of the Research
After submitting your request, Deep Research will start working, and this may take some time. Typically, everything is ready within a few minutes, but complex tasks might require up to 30 minutes of analysis (trends.rbc.ru). Don’t worry if the chat seems to be “silent” for a while — the process is running in the background. You can even close the chat and come back later: when the research is complete, you’ll receive a notification, and the finished report will appear in the chat.

An interesting feature of Deep Research is that it shows its thought process. In the interface, on the right or left (depending on the version), a panel will appear where you can see what steps are being taken (trends.rbc.ru). You can track the search queries it has sent, the websites it has opened, and what it has focused on. Essentially, you’re observing a virtual researcher at work: for example, it might first look at Wikipedia for a general understanding of the topic, then visit a specialized site for details, and later compare numbers from different reports. This transparent process is a big plus (vc.ru).

Firstly, it’s informative in itself. Secondly, you can make sure the AI is staying on topic: if you notice it’s looking at irrelevant information, you can always stop it and rephrase your request. However, most of the time, the algorithms are well-tuned, and Deep Research will adjust its course if it realizes that the information is not relevant (vc.ru).
4. Analyze the Result You Receive
When Deep Research completes the task, the generated answer will appear in the chat. Usually, this consists of several paragraphs of text divided into meaningful sections or a set of subsections with headings — a full report. Read it carefully and compare it with what you wanted to obtain.

Pay special attention to the quotes and links in the text. As mentioned, Deep Research includes source references in the form of [#] or a similar format, pointing to specific websites or documents (help.openai.com). Don’t hesitate to open these links! Especially if the matter is crucial for you (such as medical advice or financial data), it’s important to personally verify that the information is correct and up to date. While Deep Research tries to rely on authoritative data, it may still make mistakes, so verification is key to ensuring confidence in the results (trends.rbc.ru). Fortunately, the links are already provided, so you can easily visit the original source to clarify details or find additional information.

Interpreting the Report: Sometimes the answer can be lengthy or even overwhelming. This happens because the model aims to be as comprehensive as possible. For example, if you asked about “best practices in project management,” you might receive something close to a small book, complete with a history of methodologies, a list of tools, and recommendations. Don’t be alarmed — just skim through the structure. There might be sections you can skip or, conversely, parts you’d like to dive deeper into. You can always clarify: continue the conversation with the chatbot after the report. If a particular paragraph is unclear, ask for a simpler explanation. If you need a concise conclusion, you can write: “Thanks for the detailed report. Now summarize the main points in 5 bullet points.” Based on its research, ChatGPT will generate a short summary specifically for you.

Another tip: tailor the result to your needs. The report from Deep Research is an excellent draft template. You can use it as a foundation: copy the necessary sections into your presentation (while properly formatting the links), rephrase it for an article, or build an action plan based on it. For example, if it’s a market research report, the collected data can immediately be inserted into a report for management with slight formatting adjustments. The key point is that the AI has done all the routine work of gathering information, and now you can creatively analyze and apply the results.
5. Consider the Limitations and Maintain a Critical View
Despite the impressive capabilities, it’s important to keep in mind the limitations of Deep Research.

First, the sources it finds may not always be perfect. Sometimes the model might pull data from a website it considers authoritative, but in reality, the source may not be the most reliable (vc.ru). Therefore, as mentioned before, verify key facts, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like health, finance, law, etc. ( vc.ru). It's always better to double-check the information in the report than to blindly trust it.

Second, AI can make mistakes or "hallucinate" — this refers to situations when the model confidently provides non-existent or distorted facts. The creators acknowledge that Deep Research produces fabricated information much less frequently than previous versions, but it cannot be fully ruled out (axios.com, trends.rbc.ru). Therefore, any unexpected or strange conclusion should be questioned: it might be worth checking the source from which the information was derived or asking a clarifying question to ensure that the chatbot has understood the data correctly.

Finally, there’s the issue of time and the number of queries. Deep Research is a resource-intensive function. Currently, regular users with the Plus plan have a limited number of such queries per month (about 10) (vc.ru). If you’ve exhausted your limit, you’ll need to wait for the next month or switch to a higher plan (Pro) for more research. Since the feature is paid and slow, it’s wise to reserve it for the most important and complex cases, rather than using it for every random query. For quick references, it’s better to use the regular ChatGPT mode with the Search function — it will provide a short answer instantly (help.openai.com). Deep Research should be saved for those tasks that absolutely require it, so you can get the most value out of your limited number of queries.
The Deep Research function in ChatGPT is a prime example of how modern artificial intelligence technologies can simplify our lives. Essentially, it serves as your personal virtual analyst, ready to spend hours sifting through the internet and documents to provide a concise answer to your question. It finds and compares information that would take a person an entire evening to gather, doing it surprisingly well: in a structured format, with facts and references. In everyday life, this translates into saving time and making more informed decisions – whether it's buying tech, planning a vacation, or preparing an important work project.

However, like any tool, Deep Research is most effective when used skillfully. We've explored how to properly formulate a request and process the results. By following these recommendations: clearly phrasing your query, providing necessary details, and verifying sources, the AI can truly become a reliable assistant rather than a source of confusion. And don't forget common sense: even the smartest algorithm is still just a tool, and the final decisions are always made by us.

In conclusion, it's important to note that deep research technology will continue to evolve. Perhaps soon such functions will become commonplace, integrated into search engines and apps. But even today, you can experience this powerful tool and see how the future we once read about in science fiction is becoming a reality – now everyone can have their own digital "expert" ready to answer complex questions. Use Deep Research confidently but wisely, and discover new horizons of knowledge with the help of intelligent AI!
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Elena Simciuc
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