Since late 2024, major players in the chatbot game have been rolling out a deep research feature designed to provide what they call “expert-level analysis.”
With a focus on multi-step research tasks and more source transparency, this new capability promises to deliver data-rich reports with applications in a variety of industries.
Let’s explore what this means for content marketers.
Table of Contents
- What is deep research?
- What is deep research useful for?
- Is deep research free?
- Who are the major players?
- Using Deep Research for Content Strategy
- What’s next?
What is deep research?
Deep research is a new AI tool designed to solve complex problems and behave similarly to a research analyst. It tracks down and analyzes large amounts of text and visuals. Then, it synthesizes the most relevant information into a comprehensive report.
One of the most useful improvements comes through better source transparency and citations.
Since LLMs can produce hallucinations (nonexistent or nonsensical items) and around 60% of queries generate inaccurate answers, the work of human editors and fact-checkers has always been crucial.
But it’s harder to fact-check something if the source isn’t obvious or if it’s quoted as coming from a fabricated link, so more transparency is likely to quicken the editing process.
What is deep research useful for?
Generating reports with clear citations from various sources is bound to help users in a wide range of research-heavy roles. Folks in finance, science, tech, consulting, and, of course, marketing, can benefit from using this iteration of AI as a research assistant.
But this tool is also positioned as an aid for entrepreneurs who want quick access to competitor or product research. The same goes for everyday people looking to make purchases that usually involve hefty investigative work (e.g., cars, household appliances, trips, and so on).
Results aren’t instant like with a regular search. They’ll take a few minutes to pop up, but the extra detail is worth the wait.
Is deep research free?
With ChatGPT, deep research is only available with paid plans (Plus at $20/mo and Pro at $200/mo).
With Gemini and Perplexity, deep research is free. There are usage limits, though, and paying subscribers gain access to expanded use.
Who are the major players?
Several AI search engines have been adding deep research tools, while others have been research-focused from the beginning (like Elicit and Kompas AI). But today, I’ll be looking at the big three:
- OpenAI’s ChatGPT (with over 122 million monthly users)
- Google’s Gemini (with 275 million monthly users)
- Perplexity (with 12.7 million monthly users but centered on analysis over conversation from the outset)
ChatGPT: Best for deep, iterative exploration and niche analysis
ChatGPT made deep research available for Pro users on February 5th, 2025, and for Plus users on February 25th. It touts the ability to interpret the information it finds and react to it in a way that guides the search process.
OpenAI defines the target audience as “people who do intense knowledge work” and promises extra effectiveness when it comes to finding “niche, non-intuitive information.”
Users can add context to queries by attaching files, including spreadsheets. Updates are currently in the works for adding data visualizations to results.
In addition to use cases in areas like business, UX design, and shopping, ChatGPT’s deep research also has an application called “Needle in a Haystack.” It’s made for ambiguous queries without crucial keywords, so you could be tracking down half-remembered scenes in obscure TV shows you saw as a kid in just a few minutes.
Ideal users: Researchers, strategists, and content marketers who need to chase down nuanced insights or follow ambiguous leads
Gemini: Best for quick overviews and Google ecosystem integration
Google’s Gemini added deep research on December 11th, 2024. The stated goal was to create a tool that’s “even better at all stages of research,” so it turns prompts into research plans, sorts for up-to-date information, and then puts out custom search reports.
A key differentiator is that it has an Audio Overview feature, so you can take said reports and listen to them as short podcasts on subjects of your choosing. This is handy for immersing yourself in a topic while getting on with mundane tasks that don’t occupy your brain.
Just like ChatGPT, Gemini confirms the research plan with you before putting it into action. After that, it determines which sub-tasks can be completed at the same time and which need a sequence, while the “thinking panel” makes this process more transparent for the user.
Before generating the final report, it goes through “multiple passes of self-critique” to eliminate inconsistencies and provide more clarity.
Ideal users: Agency creatives, SEO professionals, and Google Workspace power users
Perplexity: Best for free, fast, accurate research with expert vibes
Perplexity launched its deep research feature on February 14, 2025. It was designed to more closely mirror the way a human researcher would approach complex tasks. The feature reads documents and decides what to do next based on what it learns about a specific subject.
It’s geared toward people who need fast expert-level analysis on complex topics (e.g., finance, health, news, and beyond), but also toward those who want a “personal consultant” that’s akin to a concierge. For example, check out the travel planning feature:
In addition to enhanced source transparency, you can see how there’s more insight into the reasoning behind each choice. And there’s clearly a more thoughtful vibe.
The first example’s “start in London, continue to Paris” approach is something a user likely doesn’t need a travel planner for, while the second aims beyond overcrowded capitals. An itinerary that includes Slovenia, Montenegro, and the Amalfi Coast sounds like a real winner.
Ideal users: Budget-conscious marketers, researchers in niche domains, and anyone needing credible, well-sourced reports
Using Deep Research for Content Strategy
Practical Applications: ChatGPT
People who took ChatGPT’s deep research out for a spin brought “questions too big for a quick search” and discovered an extra time-saving perk: “resisting the urge to fall into unrelated Wikipedia rabbit holes.”
Another significant one seems to be this tool’s improved ability to distinguish between how relevant sources are and to unearth factual gems that would take a human several hours to reach.
This is largely thanks to its agentic nature:
- If Gemini follows an omnidirectional process (aka searches far and wide to produce a summary), ChatGPT “performs an iterative cycle of finding, assessing, and refining the data.”
- If it encounters a surprising bit of information, it can follow that thread to produce a more nuanced final analysis.”
AI pros recommend using the tool’s follow-up questions to refine a search and following the most interesting hyperlinked data points to the original source. You can (and should) blacklist and whitelist specific sources for the next run; as usual, running multiple iterations produces the most accurate results.
Use Case for Content Marketers
As a content marketer working on a strategy, ChatGPT’s deep research can bring out emerging industry trends and generate more data-rich reports (compared to Gemini’s broader understanding of a topic).
It can also:
- Analyze your existing content strategy
- Scan the content of your competitors
- Lean into social listening
You can get some pretty granular detail this way. You might want to consider messaging and positioning from various competitors, but also look at keyword usage or CTA structure.
Ultimately, this is a quicker way to identify those much-coveted content gaps that can illuminate the next steps and best use of resources for your brand. Asking the chatbot to compare websites can be very helpful.
Practical Applications: Gemini
Google’s deep research tool scans a wide range of citations and documents. Once again, it’s helpful to review the multi-step research plan it presents after you’ve entered the prompt and tweak it to your preferences. Its ability to generate insights is vastly superior compared to earlier versions of Gemini, and all the more so compared to a regular Google search.
When you’re looking for a quick snapshot of a specific brand’s digital ecosystem, Gemini is a good bet. Here’s why:
- If you’re already using other Google tools, the integration is seamless. For example, one click turns a report into a Google Doc, so you can share and edit quickly.
- Its connection with Google Search also means you can conduct deep SEO analysis that mirrors the results pages a user would see while doing a classic search.
Use Case for Content Marketers
I took Gemini’s deep research out for a spin and asked it to create a content strategy for a furniture museum. Here’s the research plan it came up with:
While I wasn’t super impressed by what it qualified as a fresh content idea, I liked that it included regional specialties among brand pillars and that it set out to put museum pieces in a cultural context — all in a way that’s relevant to everyday people.
With “Show thinking” turned on, this is what I got: A description of each task and a roundup of websites being investigated.
By the end of the five-minute process, Gemini had identified leading museums and common themes in the way they define their missions. Then, it generated the final report.
I chuckled at how it started with the classic clunker “In today’s digital age” and at the fact that the Mission section explained what a mission is rather than suggesting one or giving some examples. But things got more specific. The proposals for potential USPs made sense, as did the lists of prominent museums, brand pillars, content formats, and distribution channels.
There was also a collection of successful content initiatives, including a fun Metropolitan Museum of Art campaign that invited visitors to “twin” with specific artworks.
Practical Applications: Perplexity
Perplexity scores better on accuracy tests, and its longstanding focus on research is felt. It already included cited sources, but the answers used to be concise. The deep research feature brings custom reports with more detail. Generating them can take as little as three minutes.
More insights:
- It uses a set of searches and keeps refining them based on what it finds, similar to how competitors operate.
- It offers a good balance between casting a wide net and factual accuracy.
- It’s more user-friendly, thanks to fewer geographical restrictions and a mission to make AI tools available for free.
Perplexity is a smaller player compared to Gemini and ChatGPT, so you’ll find fewer tutorials and prompt ideas online. But it’s so easy to use, you’ll barely need them.
Use Case for Content Marketers
I typed in the same prompt as above. I asked for a content strategy for a furniture museum, complete with brand pillars and some fresh content ideas. The process did indeed take three minutes, and I got a glimpse of the logic behind the search, plus some of the sources.
The generated report started with citations:
The brand pillars were confidently outlined and covered sustainability, education, plus interactivity. The report also included a crafty audience persona analysis that included everyone from professionals and hobbyists to casual visitors. Content types were listed comprehensively, with an expected focus on digital storytelling but also room for physical interaction and good old printed materials.
Perplexity also discussed content ideas and their effective execution in more detail. A material library, a narrative podcast series, and a digital furniture workshop were all included in the mix.
I particularly enjoyed the addition of museum-specific KPIs:
What’s next?
All in all, deep research promises to make detailed analysis via AI easier than it used to be. You have more clarity on citations and better access to insightful nuggets that might have been missed by previous iterations of the same tools. Fact-checking is quicker, so more time can be spent getting familiar with sources that bring real value to complex projects.
As for which one to choose, the classic advice stands: Take them out for a spin and figure out which is the best fit for content marketing in your niche.
If you value a conversational style, ChatGPT has always had that as a focus, and it stays true for deep research. If you’re an agency creative who has to dive into the quirks of a new industry for each client, Gemini’s Audio Overview could be a great tool. And if you’re working with a small budget in a research-heavy area, going for Perplexity might be the answer.
Good luck and happy researching!
