OpenAI has announced the release of a lightweight version of its powerful AI research tool, Deep Research, for free users. This move marks another significant step towards the democratization of AI technology. As an AI agent capable of independently completing complex research tasks, the free availability of Deep Research will provide students, researchers, and the general public with more convenient access to information.
Deep Research Feature Highlights: A New Intelligent Research Experience
Deep Research, launched by OpenAI in February 2025, is an AI research agent built on the o1 reasoning model and designed for handling complex research tasks. This tool can autonomously browse the web, analyze hundreds of online sources, and generate detailed research reports within 5 to 30 minutes. These reports include precise citations of web pages or PDF passages. Previously, Deep Research was only available to ChatGPT Plus ($20/month), Pro ($200/month), and enterprise users; free users lacked access.
The newly released lightweight version of Deep Research is powered by OpenAI's o4-mini model. While generating shorter reports, it retains the core intelligence and in-depth analytical capabilities of the original version. According to OpenAI's official statement, the lightweight version is "almost as intelligent as the beloved original Deep Research" while significantly reducing running costs, providing the technical foundation for free access.
Free Access Details: Expanding User Reach
The lightweight version of Deep Research is being gradually rolled out to all free users starting today. The usage limits for Deep Research for Plus, Team, and Pro users will also be expanded through the lightweight version. Enterprise and education users will receive the same usage rights within the next week, aligning with Team user access.
The specific usage limits for free users of the lightweight Deep Research are not yet fully defined. Previously, ChatGPT Plus users could conduct 10 Deep Research tasks per month, while Pro users had higher quotas. Industry insiders speculate that free users may have fewer than 10 tasks per month, but even so, the release of this feature will significantly lower the barrier to entry for research.
OpenAI's move is considered a strategic adjustment in response to market competition. Recently, Google has made its Gemini Deep Research feature freely available to all users, and AI search tools like Perplexity have also introduced free in-depth research capabilities. Faced with the rapid deployment of competitors, OpenAI, by offering a free lightweight version of Deep Research, not only solidifies ChatGPT's market position but also further expands its user base.
It's worth noting that members of OpenAI's technical team recently revealed in a live online broadcast that the Deep Research feature for free users is in the testing phase and promised to share more details soon. This dynamic indicates that OpenAI is accelerating the popularization of the feature to meet the urgent needs of users for efficient research tools.
