OpenAI Adds Deep Research for ChatGPT Plus Users
February 25, 2025 – 10:30 AM PST – OpenAI announced today that its advanced “deep research” feature is now available to all ChatGPT Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users, marking a significant expansion of the tool’s accessibility. The feature, which leverages OpenAI’s cutting-edge o3 model, enables multi-step research on complex tasks by crawling the web and compiling in-depth reports, acting as a personal research assistant within ChatGPT.
In a series of posts on X, OpenAI detailed the rollout, revealing that Plus, Team, Enterprise, and Edu users will receive 10 deep research queries per month, while Pro users will have access to a more robust 120 queries per month. This allocation reflects the significant computational power required for the feature, as noted in OpenAI’s earlier announcements. The company also highlighted recent improvements to deep research, including embedded images with citations in outputs and enhanced capabilities for understanding and referencing uploaded files.
OpenAI emphasized its commitment to transparency by releasing a system card that outlines the development process, capabilities, risks, and safety measures for deep research. The feature, initially launched in early February, builds on OpenAI’s ongoing efforts to integrate advanced reasoning and web-browsing capabilities into ChatGPT, positioning it as a powerful tool for users across various subscription tiers.
Editor’s Thoughts: While OpenAI’s deep research feature promises to revolutionize how users interact with ChatGPT, the limitation of just 10 queries per month for most subscribers feels underwhelming. For researchers, students, or professionals relying on frequent, in-depth analysis, this cap could hinder productivity and dampen enthusiasm for an otherwise impressive tool. One can’t help but wonder if OpenAI might reconsider this restriction to better serve its diverse user base.
The decision to limit most ChatGPT users to just 10 deep research queries per month has left many feeling shortchanged. Given the feature’s potential to handle complex, multi-step research tasks—effectively acting as a digital research assistant—the restriction feels particularly stingy, especially for Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users who pay for premium access. For those accustomed to unlimited or higher-volume research tools, this cap could prove frustrating and limit the feature’s real-world utility, prompting calls for OpenAI to revisit its allocation strategy.
