OpenAI announces new 'deep research' tool for ChatGPT ahead of Tokyo meetings
On Monday, US tech giant OpenAI unveiled a new tool for its ChatGPT platform, named "deep research", just in time for important meetings in Tokyo. This announcement comes amidst increasing competition in the AI sector, particularly from China's DeepSeek chatbot.
Revolutionizing AI with ChatGPT
OpenAI first gained widespread recognition for its generative AI capabilities with the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022. The company claims that the new "deep research" tool can accomplish tasks in minutes that would typically take a human several hours.
In a live video presentation, OpenAI researchers showcased how the tool can sift through web search data to provide recommendations for ski equipment for a winter getaway in Japan. According to OpenAI, "deep research" is designed to function as an independent agent - users simply provide a prompt, and ChatGPT will sift through and analyze a plethora of online sources to generate a comprehensive report akin to one produced by a research analyst.
Key Meetings in Tokyo
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is currently in Tokyo for crucial meetings with Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Masayoshi Son, the head of SoftBank Group. Both SoftBank and OpenAI are collaborators in the Stargate initiative, a project initiated by former US President Donald Trump to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure within the United States.
Prime Minister Ishiba is slated to travel to Washington for an upcoming meeting with Trump later in the week. The Nikkei business daily reported on plans for AI data centers and associated infrastructure, hinting at significant investments in the sector.
Competition in AI
In a statement to Nikkei, Altman expressed interest in developing new AI-specific hardware in collaboration with Jony Ive, Apple's former chief design officer. However, he acknowledged that the prototyping process would likely span several years.
Altman also noted the competitive landscape in AI reasoning technology, praising DeepSeek as a formidable contender. OpenAI recently raised concerns about Chinese companies attempting to replicate their advanced AI models, prompting increased collaboration with US authorities.
For more information about this development, check out the article on Nikkei business daily.
