OpenAI is reportedly working on extending its Deep Research feature to users on the free tier of ChatGPT. Launched in February, this feature acts as an agentic tool that autonomously performs multi-step research on intricate topics by sourcing relevant information from the Internet. Currently, the functionality is available exclusively to paid subscribers of ChatGPT. Should Deep Research be introduced to free-tier users, it is anticipated that it will come with stringent rate limits.
OpenAI Could Expand Deep Research to All Users
Tibor Blaho, Lead Engineer at AIPRM and an AI enthusiast, posted a screenshot from an OpenAI webcast on X (formerly Twitter), indicating that Deep Research might soon become available to ChatGPT’s free-tier users. During the webcast, Isa Fullford, a technical staff member at OpenAI, reportedly confirmed plans for expanding the feature. However, no specific timeline for this rollout was provided.
In a related development, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the launch of new updates would experience delays due to the increased server demands from the recent image generation feature. Consequently, even if Deep Research is destined for the free tier, its debut is not expected until the company resolves its capacity challenges.
In the event that the feature is made accessible to free-tier users, it will likely impose high rate limits due to the significant GPU processing required by Deep Research. This means that users would have a limited number of monthly runs. Notably, users of ChatGPT Plus also have access to this AI agent but face rate limitations, while more extensive usage options are available exclusively to subscribers of the ChatGPT Pro plan, the company’s top-tier offering.
Deep Research in ChatGPT (distinct from similarly named features in Gemini or Perplexity) serves as a multi-step research tool capable of independently conducting web searches on various topics and generating detailed reports, thereby saving users time on manual research tasks. When it was introduced, OpenAI emphasized that this feature is designed for individuals engaged in intensive research activities across fields such as finance, science, policy, and engineering.
