OpenAI is reportedly planning to extend its Deep Research feature to the free tier of ChatGPT users. Originally launched in February, this feature acts as an autonomous research assistant, capable of conducting in-depth, multi-step research on complex topics by gathering relevant information from the web. Powered by a specialized custom o3 AI model, Deep Research has been available only to paid ChatGPT subscribers. However, there are indications that OpenAI could soon expand access to this advanced tool to all users, including those on the free tier.
Tibor Blaho, a Lead Engineer at AIPRM, recently shared a screenshot from an OpenAI webcast on X (formerly Twitter), where Isa Fullford, a member of OpenAI’s technical team, apparently confirmed that Deep Research could soon be available to free-tier users. While this news has sparked excitement within the AI community, no official timeline has been provided for when this expansion will take place. Despite the potential for wider access, OpenAI has not specified exactly when users on the free tier will be able to access this feature.
However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged that there are challenges on the horizon that could delay such a release. Specifically, the increased server load resulting from the popularity of the new image generation feature is creating capacity issues. As a result, even if Deep Research does come to the free tier, it may not be available immediately and could be subject to certain limitations. Users may have to wait until OpenAI has addressed its server capacity issues before the feature becomes available.
When Deep Research reaches the free tier, it is likely to come with significant restrictions, particularly in terms of usage. The tool, being agentic in nature, requires substantial GPU resources to function effectively, so OpenAI may impose high rate limits to manage its demands. As seen with the ChatGPT Plus tier, which also has rate-limited access to the feature, it’s expected that free-tier users will face constraints, such as a limited number of uses per month. More extensive access to Deep Research may remain a privilege for ChatGPT Pro subscribers, who enjoy more robust usage privileges with the service.
