Perplexity vs ChatGPT for Research: How to Use Deep Research at Work
By Ashley Gross
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Perplexity
Perplexity vs ChatGPT: which is better for research?
Perplexity searches the web on every question and puts numbered sources next to each claim.
That makes it the stronger choice when your boss will ask where a number came from. ChatGPT is stronger for drafting and rewriting. Use Perplexity for the facts, then write in the tool you prefer.
What is Perplexity Deep Research?
Deep research is a mode inside Perplexity AI. You ask one question. It reads dozens of pages and returns a written report with sources. In our test it read 26 sources and finished in 1 minute and 32 seconds.
Which Perplexity mode should you use?
Search
Use Search for one fact you can check in a minute. It does not use credits.
Deep research
Use Deep research when the question has several parts, such as a competitor, a market, or a regulation.
Computer
Computer is the Perplexity agent. It builds files and runs scheduled work, and it uses credits. You do not need it for a research brief.
How to use Perplexity Deep Research at work: the first five steps
Most people type their preferences into every question, and Perplexity forgets them in the next thread. A Project fixes that. Perplexity used to call these Spaces, and many guides still do.
Open Projects in the left sidebar and select New project.
Name the project after the question you research again and again, and add a one-line description. Leave Brain off, because it uses credits.
On the project page, select Add context.
Paste your instructions and select Save. State your role, the sources you trust, your rules, and the format you want back.
Under Links, add two or three websites you trust. Then turn off Default to Computer, so new sessions do not spend credits.
Why does Perplexity ignore your instructions?
Instructions typed into a chat only last for that chat. Instructions saved in a Project apply to every session inside it. In our test, the report came back in the exact format the instructions asked for: a three-sentence summary, three findings, risks, and a source list.
How do you check Perplexity citations?
Open the source for every number you plan to repeat. Confirm the number is on the page, and check the date. If the source is a blog quoting another report, find the original. Perplexity can be wrong, and a cited answer is only as good as the page behind it.
Get the full Perplexity Deep Research Playbook
This post covers the first five steps. The full playbook has all 13, with a screenshot for every step, the instruction template, the question template, the source-check routine, and the weekly schedule setup.