From 1-800-ChatGPT to Google's Deep Research: AI Goes Big on Accessibility and Innovation
What Happened Today? (Are We Witnessing "Perplexity on Steroids?")
OpenAI unveiled 1-800-CHATGPT, enabling users in the U.S. to call ChatGPT via a toll-free phone number, while international users can now engage with ChatGPT through WhatsApp. The service offers a familiar, conversational experience powered by GPT-4's "Mini" model.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Call Toll-Free: U.S. users can now access ChatGPT by voice with up to 15 minutes of free calls per month by dialing 1-800-242-8478 (1-800-CHATGPT).
WhatsApp Global Integration: International users can message ChatGPT on WhatsApp for text-based queries—no account needed.
Accessibility Focus: You can use older devices, like flip phones or even rotary phones, to call the number.
Mission-Driven: OpenAI's chief product officer Kevin Weil emphasized making AI "accessible to all of humanity
Technical Insights:
The experience is similar to OpenAI's Advanced Voice Mode
Users can dial the number without needing a ChatGPT account
OpenAI confirmed they won't use these direct calls to train AI models
Potential Future Applications:
Personal AI assistants that can make calls
Virtual call centers powered by custom GPTs
Expanded accessibility for users with limited internet access
New Channels for ChatGPT
This sets a precedent for AI expanding beyond apps or browsers. Think: AI through phone calls, SMS, and other low-tech mediums—an impressive move for global adoption.
“This came out of a hack week project,” OpenAI chief product officer Kevin Weil said. “The team built this just a few weeks ago, and we loved it, and they hustled really hard to ship it, and it’s awesome to see it here. We’re just getting started making ChatGPT more accessible to all of you.”
Google’s Deep Research: What It Does and How It Works
While OpenAI was combining nostalgia with high-tech, Google has taken a different tact by offering to take the pain out of research.
Google’s new feature, Deep Research, is designed to make online research faster and more efficient by using AI to explore complex topics on your behalf. Available in the Gemini Advanced subscription, it automates the process of finding, analyzing, and organizing information from the web.
As Google describes the process in their blog: "Doing research online isn’t always easy. Imagine you’re a grad student preparing for your upcoming robotics presentation. You want to get smart on autonomous vehicle sensor trends and understand how different technologies stack up, along with what’s on the horizon. A project like this might take hours of research and cross-referencing a sea of open tabs, that is if you can even find that link you know you put somewhere…
Under your supervision, Deep Research does the hard work for you. After you enter your question, it creates a multi-step research plan for you to either revise or approve. Once you approve, it begins deeply analyzing relevant information from across the web on your behalf."
How Deep Research Works, Powered by Gemini
Google’s Deep Research is powered by the advanced capabilities of its Gemini AI model, making it an intelligent and efficient tool for tackling complex research tasks. Here’s how it operates:
Dynamic Web Browsing
Gemini searches the web for relevant information.
It identifies key insights and starts new searches based on what it learns.
This iterative process mimics how a human researcher would refine their approach.
Comprehensive Report Generation
After completing its analysis, Gemini produces a detailed report summarizing key findings.
Reports include links to original sources, enabling users to dive deeper into topics or validate information.
Google Doc Integration
Reports can be exported into a Google Doc for seamless editing, sharing, or archiving.
Interactive Refinement
Users can ask follow-up questions or request adjustments to the report for more tailored results.
This process, completed in minutes, compresses what would traditionally take hours of manual research into a streamlined, AI-powered experience. With Gemini’s advanced reasoning capabilities and a 1M token context window, Deep Research provides actionable insights with speed and precision.
My Experiences With Google Deep Research
I've used the tool four times over the past week. I heard it described as "Perplexity on steroids" and this is an apt description.
Deep Research created an in-depth report for me on the impact of AI on jobs in the life sciences sector. It also dug very deeply into safely recalls on Teslas and then narrowed it down into the current NHTSA Investigation into Tesla Autopilot and Full-Self Driving.
Here's a screencap of how I interacted with the tool during my conversation about the NHTSA investigation:
Once the conversation is finished, it can be opened up in Google Docs for easy reading. It reads like an article. I've made this research available on Google Drive for anyone who would like to read it. The results are impressive. For anyone who works in research, Google Deep Research is a powerful new tool.
Final Thoughts
Deep Research represents a major leap toward agentic AI, where systems can independently perform multi-step tasks. For users, this means less time spent searching and more time leveraging actionable insights. As Google continues to refine this feature, it’s poised to become an indispensable tool for professionals and students alike.
Crafted by Diana Wolf Torres: Merging human expertise with AI
Stay Curious. #DeepLearningwiththeWolf.
Vocabulary Key
Agentic AI: AI systems capable of executing complex, multi-step tasks autonomously.
1M Token Context Window: The ability of an AI model to process vast amounts of data or text in one interaction.
Competitive Analysis: A report comparing a business's products, services, or strategies against its competitors.
Gemini Advanced: Google’s premium AI service featuring cutting-edge capabilities like Deep Research.
FAQs
What is Deep Research? An AI-powered feature in Google’s Gemini Advanced plan that automates complex web research tasks.
How does it work? Deep Research generates a plan, browses the web for relevant information, and compiles a detailed report with source links.
Who can use it? It’s available to Gemini Advanced subscribers in English on desktop and mobile web, with app access coming in 2025.
Is the information reliable? While the AI strives for accuracy, users should verify its findings to ensure reliability.
How can I try Deep Research? Toggle the model drop-down to “Gemini 1.5 Pro with Deep Research” and submit your question to get started.
#ai #chatgpt #googlegemini #deepresearch #artificialintelligence #aiforproductivity #accessibility #agenticai #futureofai #innovation