On Monday, US tech powerful OpenAI unveiled a new ChatGPT feature called “Deep Research,” tool as global AI rivalry heats up. The statement comes ahead of high-profile events in Tokyo, indicating OpenAI’s resolve to maintain its leadership in the AI field.
Meanwhile, China’s DeepSeek chatbot has been making headlines in the industry, gaining attention for its impressive performance and apparently cheaper operating costs. DeepSeek’s growth has prompted a sense of urgency among US technology firms to expedite AI advancements.
OpenAI, whose ChatGPT introduced generative AI into the public eye in 2022, stated that their new tool “accomplishes in tens of minutes what would take a human many hours”.
“Deep research is OpenAI’s next agent that can do work for you independently — you give it a prompt, and ChatGPT will find, analyze, and synthesize hundreds of online sources to create a comprehensive report at the level of a research analyst,” according to a statement from the company.
During the livestream announcement, OpenAI researchers demonstrated how their new Deep Research tool analyzes web search data to recommend ski equipment for a winter trip to Japan. The demonstration highlighted the tool’s ability to quickly synthesize information and provide customized recommendations.
Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is currently in Tokyo for high-level consultations. He is due to meet Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba later on Monday, along with Masayoshi Son, head of SoftBank Group, one of Japan’s largest technology investment companies.
Both SoftBank and OpenAI are key members of the Stargate Initiative, a massive U.S.-backed AI investment project. The plan, announced by former US President Donald Trump, aims to invest up to $500 billion in developing AI infrastructure across the country.
Prime Minister Ishiba is also due to visit Washington later this week for his first in-person meeting with President Trump since taking office, marking a key diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
On Monday afternoon, Sam Altman and Masayoshi Son will hold a business summit in Tokyo, bringing together over 500 organizations to discuss improvements in AI technology.
According to a source from the Nikkei business daily, the event would feature big announcements about the development of AI data centers and dedicated power facilities to support them. While exact funding estimates have not been announced, the project intends to boost Japan’s AI capabilities and stimulate regional technological innovation.
Altman also told Nikkei that he wants to work with Apple’s former chief design officer Jony Ive to develop “a new kind of hardware” using artificial intelligence.
But Altman suggested it could be years before a prototype is unveiled, according to Nikkei.
Altman told the paper that DeepSeek is a “good model” for serious competition for AI inference technology, but that “capability level isn’t new.”
DeepSeek’s performance has sparked a wave of accusations that it has copied features of leading U.S. technologies, such as the AI behind ChatGPT.
Last week, OpenAI warned that Chinese companies were actively trying to replicate its advanced AI models, leading to increased cooperation with U.S. authorities.
- Chocolate Day 2025: Here’s Top 5 Chocolate You Can Gift to Your Love - February 8, 2025
- ‘Ne Zha 2’ Breaks Box Office Records, Becomes Highest-Grossing Chinese Film - February 8, 2025
- Valentine’s Day Playlist: Top 10 Best Love Songs to Make Your Night Extra Special - February 8, 2025