Deep Research is an in-depth research feature that helps search for, analyze many sources of documents and synthesize them into reports with clear citations.
This free version uses the o4-mini light model to expand access to all users.
According to OpenAI, Deep Research's o4-mini version gave a slightly shorter response, but was still "nearly equivalent to being smart, cost-effective and maintaining high quality" compared to the original.
Previously, Deep Research only provided paid users for the Pro, Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise packages, with limited queries. For example, Plus users only get 10 trips per month, while Pro users (200 USD/month) get 125 trips.
With the new change, free users can use up to 5 Deep Research sessions per month through the o4-mini version.
The move to expand Deep Research access is seen as an effort by OpenAI to enhance the in-depth search experience for ChatGPT users, while reducing the pressure on operating costs.
With the addition of a light version of o4-mini, the company hopes to serve more user groups while still ensuring feedback quality and consultation speed.
