On Monday, US tech giant OpenAI unveiled a new ChatGPT tool called “Deep Research,” designed to generate detailed reports, as competition in the artificial intelligence space heats up with China’s DeepSeek chatbot gaining momentum.
The announcement was made in Tokyo, where OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also revealed a new joint venture with tech investor SoftBank Group aimed at offering advanced AI services to businesses.
DeepSeek, a newcomer in the AI field, has caused a stir in Silicon Valley. Many are calling its high performance and supposed cost-efficiency a wake-up call for US developers.
OpenAI, which pioneered the generative AI revolution with ChatGPT in 2022, said its new tool can “accomplish in tens of minutes what would take a human many hours.”
“You provide it with a prompt, and ChatGPT will scan, analyze, and synthesize hundreds of online sources to produce a comprehensive report, on par with a research analyst,” OpenAI stated.
Altman shared his thoughts on social media platform X, noting that while Deep Research requires significant computing power and is still “slow,” the tool holds tremendous potential. “My very approximate vibe is that it can handle a single-digit percentage of all economically valuable tasks in the world, which is a remarkable milestone,” Altman wrote in another post.
Entrepreneur Michel Levy Provencal suggested that the tool could spell “very big problems ahead for consultants.”
Crystal Ball
OpenAI and SoftBank are part of the “Stargate” initiative, a project launched by former US President Donald Trump to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure across the United States.
Altman and SoftBank’s founder, Masayoshi Son, met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday to discuss expanding the Stargate project to Japan. Son told reporters they aim to create “cutting-edge AI infrastructure,” including the world’s largest AI data centers, though he didn’t provide further details.
Ishiba is expected to meet Trump later this week for their first in-person talks.
At a business forum on Monday, Son unveiled a new joint venture between SoftBank and OpenAI, equally split, focused on AI services. Holding a purple crystal ball, Son described a new AI product called Cristal, which helps businesses analyze system data, reports, emails, and meetings.
A joint statement revealed that SoftBank will “invest $3 billion annually to deploy OpenAI’s solutions across its group companies,” with the venture aiming to serve as a model for global AI adoption, starting with Japanese enterprises.
‘No Plans’ to Sue
The rise of DeepSeek has prompted accusations that it may have reverse-engineered US technology, including the AI behind ChatGPT. OpenAI warned last week that Chinese companies are attempting to replicate its AI models, leading to increased collaboration with US authorities.
When asked if OpenAI planned to take legal action, Altman stated, “We have no plans to sue DeepSeek right now.” He acknowledged DeepSeek’s impressive capabilities but emphasized that OpenAI is confident in its ability to continue innovating and producing top-tier products. “We’re happy to have another competitor,” he added.
OpenAI has also faced its own share of intellectual property accusations, particularly regarding the use of copyrighted materials in training its AI models.
While Altman’s future plans remain unclear, reports suggest he is set to travel to Seoul on Tuesday. A spokesperson from South Korean tech giant Kakao confirmed the company will announce a new collaboration with OpenAI, but did not specify whether Altman would be present for the announcement.
AFP
