OpenAI has introduced a “lightweight” version of its ChatGPT deep research tool that scours the web to compile research reports — the latest salvo in an escalating chatbot race with Google’s Gemini, Microsoft Corp.’s Copilot and xAI’s Grok.
Like its rivals, OpenAI is attempting to reduce obstacles to accessing advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-driven research tools, which it believes will lead to broader adoption of generative AI among individuals and organizations.
Under the hood of ChatGPT’s lightweight deep research available for enterprise and education users this week, is a version of ChatGPT o4-mini. A heavy duty version is powered by a version of ChatGPT-o3 and limited to paid subscribers. The lightweight edition is not as capable as the “full” deep research version, OpenAI acknowledged, but is cheaper to serve and allows the company to increase usage limits.
The lightweight model is now available to ChatGPT Plus, Team and Pro users; free ChatGPT users also have access. ChatGPT free users can use the lightweight tool up to five times per month, according to OpenAI. ChatGPT Pro users, who earlier had 100 queries per month, now get 250 queries in the same time frame. Plus, Team users get 15 lightweight tasks each month.
OpenAI describes the new lightweight deep research tool as “nearly as intelligent as the Deep Research people already know and love, while being significantly cheaper to serve.”
The lightweight tool offers shorter, more concise research reports after scanning the web and compiling information on a topic, according to OpenAI.
“Responses will typically be shorter while maintaining the depth and quality you’ve come to expect,” OpenAI said in a post on social media platform X. “Once limits for the original version of deep research are reached, queries automatically default to the lightweight version.”
A handful of AI heavyweights are jockeying for position in advancing their chatbots — particularly through their reasoning models that can think through problems and self-fact-check on research projects and other tasks.
OpenAI’s expansion of ChatGPT comes weeks after Google made its Deep Research feature — previously part of the premium Gemini Advanced package — available for free to all users. Under Google’s plan, users can now generate up to five research reports per month. Deep Research, a sophisticated tool powered by Google’s Gemini 2.0, had previously been locked behind a $20-per-month subscription.
