OpenAI has introduced a new AI tool called deep research, designed to conduct multi-step research on the internet for complex tasks. The tool is powered by an optimised version of the upcoming OpenAI o3 model, enabling it to browse and analyse online content, including text, images, and PDFs, to generate detailed reports.

Deep research significantly reduces the time required for research, with OpenAI stating that it accomplishes tasks in minutes that would take a human several hours.

Despite its capabilities, the tool remains in its early stages and has limitations, such as difficulties in distinguishing credible sources from rumours and challenges in conveying uncertainty accurately.

The feature is already accessible via the web version of ChatGPT and will be extended to mobile and desktop applications later in February.

Deep research is the second AI agent introduced by OpenAI this year, following the January preview of Operator, which assists users with tasks like to-do lists and travel planning.