Microsoft has introduced an AI-powered tool called "Deep Research" in its AI chat application, Microsoft 365 Copilot.
In recent times, several deep research agents have been launched within chatbots, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and xAI's Grok. These agents are supported by so-called reasoning AI models, which have the ability to think through problems and self-check — skills that are crucial for conducting in-depth studies on a particular topic.
The Microsoft version is known as Researcher and Analyst.
Researcher integrates OpenAI's deep research model — which powers the company’s ChatGPT deep research tool — with "advanced orchestration" and "deep search capabilities." Microsoft claims that Researcher can perform analytical tasks such as formulating market entry strategies and creating quarterly reports for clients.
Analyst, on the other hand, is based on OpenAI's o3-mini reasoning model, which Microsoft describes as being "optimized for advanced data analysis." Analyst solves problems iteratively, refining its "thinking" progressively and providing detailed query responses. Additionally, Analyst can run the Python programming language to handle complex data queries and disclose its "work" for review.
What sets Microsoft's deep research tools apart from competitors is their ability to access work-related data along with global web resources. For instance, Researcher can utilize third-party data connectors to gather information from AI “agents,” tools, and applications like Confluence, ServiceNow, and Salesforce.
Of course, the real challenge lies in ensuring that tools like Researcher and Analyst do not generate hallucinations or fabricate content. Models including o3-mini and deep research are not flawless; they sometimes misquote works, draw incorrect conclusions, and derive information from dubious public websites to support their reasoning.
Microsoft is launching a new Frontier program, through which Microsoft 365 Copilot customers can gain access to Researcher and Analyst. Users who join Frontier will first receive experimental Copilot features and begin using Researcher and Analyst starting from April.
