OpenAI Drops 'Lite' Deep Research for Everyone : Free Users Get a Taste, But There's a Catch

OpenAI has a lot of surprises for chatbot fans with the recent revival of the better GPT-3.5 turbo. Now, the AI company is banking on Deep Research in its newly improved state.

Deep Research has rapidly become one of the most popular AI tools available. As its name implies, this feature is incredibly powerful, enabling users to do deep research on any subject with minimal work. Just enter your topic, and the AI browses through dozens, often hundreds, of websites, including community sites such as Reddit, to create a detailed, thorough report.

While it's now free for both non-paying and paid users, there's a catch to its usage.

OpenAI Rolls Out Lightweight Deep Research for Everyone

OpenAI Drops 'Lite' Deep Research for Everyone — Free Users

OpenAI recently issued a new update through TechCrunch: a "lightweight" version of Deep Research is now out for free and paying users. Driven by the O4-mini model, the new version offers virtually the same depth and intelligence as the original but at a much lower price.

OpenAI points out that although answers from the lightweight model might be slightly shorter, they will remain of high quality and in-depth insight. This action also enables OpenAI to raise rate limits for free users, which makes AI research more accessible than ever.

However, free users are restricted to a mere five Deep Research queries per month. To access unlimited or greater limits, one has to upgrade to a paid plan.

Deep Research Limits: What Users Need to Know

If you're a subscriber to ChatGPT's Plus, Team, or Pro plans, here's a breakdown of what to expect, according to Android Police.

• Plus & Team Plans: 10 original Deep Research queries + 125 lightweight Deep Research queries per month
• Pro Plan: 125 original Deep Research queries + 125 lightweight Deep Research queries
• Enterprise Plan: 10 original Deep Research queries

Paid subscribers will automatically switch to the lightweight version when they reach their initial query limit until the monthly reset. This intelligent integration guarantees users always have some level of Deep Research.

Gemini and OpenAI: Coincidence or Competition?

Interestingly, Gemini followed a remarkably similar rollout strategy. Initially offering Deep Research exclusively to Gemini Advanced users, the company made it available to free users just last month, matching OpenAI's limit of five detailed reports per month.

Is it a chance or a strategic decision to keep up with the competition? We'll likely never be entirely sure, but it's obvious that both firms are intensely innovating to control the AI research market.

Stating the obvious, Deep Research is no longer a luxury—it's becoming an expectation. It's here to stay, whether you're an everyday user or a professional researcher. Every AI advancement counts for the development. It's now the staple change for modern technology: becoming a quicker source of information than ever before.