Deep Research is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tool developed by OpenAI that automates the process of searching, verifying, and synthesizing information from multiple web and scholarly sources. Deep Research is viewed as a new form of AI "research assistant" capable of multi-stage web and database searches, retrieval of primary sources, and generation of transparent, citation-rich reports. This tool is designed to assist scholars, journalists, and policy researchers who need traceable, source-based information. It differs from conversational AI systems such as ChatGPT, which rely primarily on pre-existing knowledge and single-query lookups.

According to IBM, some of the biggest markets for AI-driven research include pharmaceuticals, where companies are leveraging AI to identify new drug candidates; and venture capital firms and private equity investors using AI research tools to streamline due diligence processes (rather than spending weeks analyzing financial and market reports, financials and competitive landscapes, firms could use AI to generate analyses that highlight key risks and opportunities).

See Topic Brief: AI Tools for Searchers and Researchers: Conversational AI & Deep Research | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library