OpenAI unveils “Deep Research” tool amid rising AI competition from China’s DeepSeek

OpenAI introduces advanced ChatGPT tool in Tokyo

On Monday, US tech giant OpenAI unveiled a new ChatGPT-powered tool called “Deep Research” ahead of high-level meetings in Tokyo. The announcement comes as China’s AI competitor, DeepSeek, gains momentum, intensifying global competition in the artificial intelligence sector.

DeepSeek has sparked significant interest in Silicon Valley due to its high performance and supposed low cost, leading to calls for faster development by US AI firms.

OpenAI, which revolutionized generative AI with the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, claims that Deep Research dramatically enhances information processing.

“Deep Research accomplishes in tens of minutes what would take a human many hours,” OpenAI said in a statement.

The company described the new tool as an “independent AI agent” capable of finding, analyzing, and synthesizing information from hundreds of online sources to generate a detailed research report comparable to those produced by human analysts.

During a live-streamed demonstration, OpenAI researchers showcased how Deep Research can process web search data to provide recommendations for ski equipment purchases for a trip to Japan.

Sam Altman meets Japan’s Prime Minister & SoftBank CEO

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is currently in Tokyo to meet with Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son.

SoftBank and OpenAI are key players in the Stargate initiative, a $500 billion AI investment plan announced by US President Donald Trump to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States.

Later this week, Ishiba is expected to visit Washington for his first in-person meeting with Trump, further solidifying AI cooperation between Japan and the US.

Expanding Japan’s AI infrastructure

On Monday afternoon, Altman and Son will host a forum in Tokyo attended by around 500 businesses, where they are expected to announce new plans to strengthen Japan’s AI infrastructure.

According to The Nikkei business daily, these efforts will include the construction of AI data centers and power plants to support large-scale AI operations. However, the specific investment details remain undisclosed.

Altman’s vision for AI hardware

In a separate interview with Nikkei, Altman revealed plans to develop a “new kind of AI hardware” in collaboration with Apple’s former chief design officer Jony Ive.

However, Altman cautioned that a working prototype would take several years to develop.

DeepSeek sparks global AI competition

Altman acknowledged China’s DeepSeek as a “strong AI model“, recognizing the growing competition in AI reasoning technology. However, he downplayed its impact, stating that “its capability level isn’t new.”

DeepSeek’s rapid advancement has also raised concerns that it may have reverse-engineered leading US AI models, including those powering ChatGPT.

US steps up AI security measures

Last week, OpenAI issued a warning that Chinese firms are actively attempting to replicate its advanced AI models, raising national security concerns. This has led to closer collaboration between OpenAI and US authorities to prevent unauthorized AI technology duplication.

With AI competition intensifying, OpenAI’s latest innovations and geopolitical AI strategies will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the industry.

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