OpenAI said in a statement: Noticing that many users like to use Deep Research, OpenAI has expanded the scope of use for Plus, Team, and Pro users by introducing a lightweight version of Deep Research to increase the current rate limit. We also launched a lightweight version for free users. Powered by OpenAI o4-mini, Deep Research Lite delivers a level of intelligence close to the standard Deep Research that users know and love, while costing significantly less to operate. This version of the response content is generally more concise while maintaining the depth and quality that users expect. When the usage quota of the standard version is exhausted, the system will automatically switch to the lightweight version to respond to queries. All Plus, Team, and Pro users now have extended access to Deep Research. Enterprise and Education users will gain access the following week and will have the same usage levels as Team users. A lite version of Deep Research is rolling out today to all free users.