I’ve spent quite a bit of time playing around with ChatGPT’s Deep Research tool, getting long and complex reports on every idea that sparks my curiosity. Naturally, Google piqued my interest by creating Gemini, which shares a similar name and broadly similar deep research features.
As the name suggests, Deep Research is Google Gemini’s AI-powered research assistant. Instead of the standard Gemini model’s typical search and responses, it generates a complete report, including citations from the sources it analyzes and packages everything into a neat format.
After testing out the free Gemini Deep Research tool a bit, I’d like to share a few ways you can make use of it.
Tell me about that movie
We’ve all had those moments where, after watching a deliberately confusing movie or TV show, you find yourself stunned, perhaps pretending to understand what’s going on. Sometimes, even the creators didn’t know where they were going with the plot (like with Lost). Christopher Nolan is notorious for such storylines, especially in Tenet. If you really want to dive into it, Gemini is a non-judgmental genius that will guide you out of the maze.
I asked the AI: “Explain the plot of Tenet to someone who doesn’t fully understand it.” The report from the AI, titled “Unraveling the Temporal Knot,” had everything I wanted. It explained the complex concepts in the film, like inverted entropy and temporal pincer movements, and even created a chart of the different characters, their goals, and methods. I didn’t particularly love the film, but at least the structure of the more confusing parts became clearer.
Argument round
I wanted to challenge Gemini and explore how science connects with social relationships. While I’m lucky enough that nothing like this happened over Thanksgiving, I’ve heard countless stories from relatives that could easily turn Thanksgiving dinner into a debate battlefield. I decided to see if Gemini could diplomatically calm down a specific example where I’d have a hard time arguing back.
I inform the Generative AI, “My extended family refuses to believe the Earth is a round, and I need a gentle but logical explanation as to why the Earth is only round.”
Gemini returned with a long, easily understandable explanation that covered all the aspects of the Earth being round, from historical anecdotes about early explorers to simple observations anyone could make. It also included different types of evidence and methods that could help anyone prove the Earth is round.
The entire response was written in a way that wouldn’t make someone who believes the Earth is flat feel ignorant or provoked. I could think of a few friends I could print this out for.
Purchasing power
Next, I wanted to see how Gemini Deep Research could assist when shopping. When it comes to the future plans of painting a house, I had an AI assistant command, “research the best finishes for paints that are easy to clean and durable for busy spaces.”
The report that came back was detailed—honestly, maybe a little too detailed. The AI made a point to define a long list of high-traffic types and uncovered a lot of chemical differences that make paint more or less durable.
Eventually, it zeroed in on the paint characteristics to consider and which specific brands to check out. Still, in this case, I could’ve opted for a shorter response from the general Gemini model.
Road tripping
I’ve been dreaming of a long weekend road trip with my wife, not too far from here. Of course, there are tons of guidebooks, but I wanted something more compact and tailored to our interests, so I thought I’d see if Gemini Deep Research could help.
I asked the AI: “Help me plan a 4-day road trip through upstate New York focusing on beautiful hikes, comfy bed and breakfasts, and local food.” The AI came up with a solid itinerary. Not only did it lay out what we could do each day, but it also included helpful lists and charts of places to stay, hikes to try, and restaurants to eat at. It even offered a suggested packing list and tips for the drive that would make the trip much easier.
I also liked the “local guide” tone of the writing, talking about “stunning hikes,” “authentic local flavors,” and “rugged forests and picturesque mountain towns.”
