Deep Research Full Guide: Comparison & Prompts

Everything you need to know about Deep Research & it's versions

The topic of Deep Research still keeps coming up.

This tool has become the biggest trend over the last month. Almost all major companies, including OpenAI, Google, Perplexity, and xAI, have flooded the market with their research solutions. And now it’s easy to get confused. Let's avoid that.

In today's issue:

• The Big Four of Deep Research

• Comparison & Main Features

• Hacks & Prompts to Research Like a Pro

At the end, I’ll tell you which tool you should use as your daily driver. However, if you have been reading us for a while, you know what AI I like most.

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The Big Four of Deep Research | Tool-by-Tool

In order not to get into a deep comparison of the less important aspects, I'm going to take a quick walk through each of our guests today. Then, we'll compare their cost and availability, and I'll talk about the main features of each based on my experience.

OpenAI | ChatGPT’s Deep Research Agent

OpenAI’s Deep Research is a new mode of ChatGPT that functions like an AI research analyst. It’s powered by an advanced “o3” model and autonomously searches the web, reads hundreds of pages (including PDFs and images), and compiles a report with citations.

The result isn’t a quick answer but a detailed, referenced analysis that might take 10–30 minutes to generate. Sam Altman calls it the best tool that OpenAI has ever released.

Initially, this feature was launched for ChatGPT Pro users. Now it’s available for Plus users ($20/mo)

Google | Gemini’s Deep Research Mode

Google’s answer, Deep Research integrated into Gemini, focuses on structured search strategies. After a user submits a query, Gemini drafts a research plan, such as prioritizing academic papers over news articles, and allows manual adjustments before executing.

This deep research feature leverages Google’s expertise in search (and even a massive 1M token context window for processing information). Launched in late 2024, Gemini’s Deep Research is accessible on the web and mobile for users with an Advanced subscription.

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Perplexity | Deep Research

Perplexity AI, known for its search engine, introduced its Deep Research mode a few weeks ago. And notably made it free for everyone at launch. Much like its rivals, Perplexity’s agent performs dozens of searches and reads through hundreds of sources to generate a thorough report on your query.

Most reports finish in under 3–4 minutes.

Every user gets a limited number of free deep research queries daily (5 for free accounts), and Perplexity Pro subscribers get unlimited use.

xAI | DeepSearch with Grok 3

As for xAI, Elon Musk's company unveiled its DeepSearch as part of the release of the Grok 3 model. It replicates the capabilities of the tools above and differs due to its deep integration with X. Grok has been trained on social media posts, so it is well-versed in the latest topics.

It is available to Premium Plus subscribers on X and via the SuperGrok subscription tier. Grok browses the internet, verifies sources, and synthesizes real-time information, showing the AI’s thought process.

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Pricing & Availability

To make comparison easier, here’s a table summarizing the cost and access for each:

At this point, it's important to note a few things. The above subscriptions provide access not only to deep research but also to other features. For example, with ChatGPT Plus, you'll get access to Sora, while X Premium will remove ads from your feed and give you some bonuses.

I'd also like to point out that Perplexity gives 5 free daily requests. Considering the amount of work this model can do, this will be enough for some users.

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Main Features and Usage Scenarios

I've been testing these tools for a while, so I've accumulated a few talking points about each one. And although all the platforms are pretty close in idea, I want to divide them into use cases.

Here's about each of them.

OpenAI: Great for in-depth market research and competitive analysis, ideal for detailed business strategies.

ChatGPT's Deep Research is a good solution for entrepreneurs. Its comprehensive approach conducts in-depth market research for products and generates detailed reports for business strategies. For example, founders could use it to assess the market potential for a new app, pulling in data from various sources to build a strategy.

Google: Useful for preparing presentations and researching trends, with easy export to Google’s ecosystem.

Google's main competitive advantage (and perhaps the only one) is access to a vast ecosystem. If you regularly use Docs, Sheets, and other company platforms, it's easy to adapt your processes to Gemini. However, Gemini's Deep Research's speed of operation and quality of generated reports lose out to its competitors.

Perplexity: Perfect for creators and solopreneurs needing quick, affordable research.

Be sure to try these modes when you use Perplexity

Perplexity’s Deep Research stands out for its accessibility and accuracy. This tool is great for budget-conscious users, researchers, and content creators who need quick data. I suggest using it to research niche market trends for a blog series, social media posts, and newsletters.

The most incredible feature of Deep Research by Perplexity is the ability to focus on academic or social media sources. If you want to quickly scour Reddit or find a critical research paper, there is no better alternative.

xAI: Best for social media managers looking for real-time information from X.

Grok's DeepSearch experience is reminiscent of Gemini. But not by the quality of its reports, but by its “ecosystem” through integration with X. If you want to quickly understand what people are discussing in politics, business, or technology right now and use that as a basis for research, this could be a great choice.

In addition, DeepSearch is faster than any of its competitors.

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Use Deep Research Like a Pro

Now, let's get to the practice.

In this section, we dive into advanced tactics for deep research. First, I'll give you five sophisticated quick ideas, customized for creators and entrepreneurs, that will push these AI tools to their limits (and maximize insight).

Then, I'll share five hacks—gleaned from first-hand experience and social media users—to help you explore these AI agents faster and smarter.

5 Advanced Deep Research Prompts for Power Users