> research & analysis
ChatGPT can pull current information and reason over documents, but the trust boundary is citations: verify them. Search gives cited web answers, uploads let it analyze your files, deep research compiles multi-source reports, and structured prompts turn findings into tables you can reuse. The model sounds equally confident whether it is right or wrong.
// research & analysis
5 entries> Search the web and cite your sources: what's the latest on [topic], and what changed in the past month?> Summarize the attached report in 5 bullets, then list every figure or statistic it cites with the page number.> Compare [option A], [option B], and [option C] in a table with columns: Option, Price, Pros, Cons, Best for. Keep each cell under 12 words.> /Deepresearch compare the [topic] landscape in 2026: key players, pricing, and tradeoffs, with sources> Act as a skeptical reviewer. List the 5 strongest objections to the argument below and the assumptions it depends on: [paste text]// faq
Can ChatGPT search the web?
Yes. It searches automatically when a question needs fresh information, or you can force it by typing / and picking Search, or via the tools menu. Replies include inline citations and a Sources panel. Search is available to free and even signed-out users.
Are ChatGPT's citations reliable?
Not always. Links can be wrong or fabricated even when they look authoritative, and non-search replies may state outdated facts confidently. For anything time-sensitive, trigger search explicitly and click through to the source to confirm.
What's the difference between search and deep research?
Search returns a quick, cited answer inline. Deep research plans a task, browses many sources over several minutes, and produces a long structured report with citations. Deep research is metered by plan — use it for genuinely multi-step questions, not quick lookups.
How do I analyze a PDF or spreadsheet?
Upload it with the paperclip and ask your question. Uploading beats pasting for long files — it avoids context-window truncation and lets ChatGPT analyze spreadsheets. Limits are 512MB per file; free accounts get 3 uploads per day.