Perplexity AI has launched a new feature called Deep Research, designed to provide expert-level insights across industries such as finance, marketing, and product research. The tool performs extensive searches, reviews multiple sources, and compiles structured reports within minutes, saving users hours of manual research.
Users can access Deep Research directly on the Perplexity website by selecting the mode before submitting their queries. The company claims that its AI-driven approach ensures faster, more accurate results compared to traditional research methods.
Competing with Industry Leaders
Perplexity’s Deep Research enters a competitive space where Google and OpenAI have already introduced similar features for their AI platforms. Google rolled out its version for Gemini AI in December 2024, followed by OpenAI’s launch earlier this month. Interestingly, all three companies have named their tools Deep Research, reflecting the growing focus on AI-driven report generation.
Performance benchmarks indicate that Perplexity’s tool scored 21.1% on Humanity’s Last Exam, an industry test for expert-level AI research. This outperformed Google’s Gemini Thinking (6.2%), Grok-2 (3.8%), and OpenAI’s GPT-4o (3.3%). However, OpenAI’s own Deep Research feature led the rankings with a 26.6% score.
Accessibility and Pricing Model
Unlike OpenAI’s version, which requires a $200 monthly Pro subscription, Perplexity’s Deep Research is available for free with limitations. Non-subscribers can make up to five queries per day, while Pro users have access to 500 daily queries. Additionally, Perplexity’s tool is significantly faster, delivering reports in under three minutes, whereas OpenAI’s takes between 5 and 30 minutes.
Future Expansion
Perplexity AI has confirmed that the Deep Research tool is currently available on the web, with plans for expansion to iOS, Android, and Mac soon. As AI-powered research tools continue to evolve, Perplexity’s focus on speed, affordability, and accessibility may give it a competitive edge in the growing market for AI-driven insights.
