Grok Introduces Deep(er) Research

OpenAI is navigating mounting challenges because it seeks to expand in India and defend its subscription model. The corporate is in discussions with Reliance Industries to distribute ChatGPT via Jio and offer its AI models to Indian enterprises through an API—potentially requiring Microsoft’s involvement as a consequence of its resale rights.

To drive adoption, OpenAI can be considering reducing ChatGPT’s subscription fee in India by 75-85%, lowering the fee from $20 to as little as $3-$5 monthly. Reliance, meanwhile, has proposed hosting OpenAI and Meta models at its planned three-gigawatt Jamnagar data centre, aligning with India’s data sovereignty push.

At the identical time, competition from China is escalating. Kai-Fu Lee’s 01.AI has fully pivoted to Deepseek’s open-source models, abandoning proprietary development to concentrate on enterprise customization. Lee argues Deepseek’s free availability is undercutting OpenAI’s paid model, leading some users to cancel ChatGPT subscriptions. He estimates Deepseek’s operating costs at just 2% of OpenAI’s $7 billion expenditure in 2024, raising concerns in regards to the sustainability of OpenAI’s high-cost approach.

While OpenAI and Anthropic have urged the U.S. government to manage Deepseek, calling it state-controlled, Lee dismisses these claims as paranoia, suggesting that CEO Sam Altman is “probably not sleeping well” as Deepseek’s momentum accelerates. Read more.

xAI is upgrading its Grok chatbot with two recent features: DeeperSearch, a complicated research tool, and text-based image editing. DeeperSearch refines queries by taking longer to process fewer, higher-quality sources, contrasting with the prevailing DeepSearch, which retrieves results more quickly but includes lower-credibility sites. Initial tests suggest DeeperSearch prioritizes mainstream sources like The Guardian and BBC but may overlook key developments.

xAI can be quietly introducing image editing capabilities, allowing users to switch uploaded images with easy text instructions—just like Google’s Gemini models. The feature is rolling out regularly, with an “Edit Image” button appearing in each X and Grok’s iOS app. Moreover, xAI has announced that its Aurora image model, known for photorealistic rendering and fewer content restrictions, is now accessible via API. Read more.

Anthropic just gave Claude 3.7 a cognitive edge with the “think” tool—an embedded pause button for AI reasoning. Unlike prolonged considering, which front-loads evaluation before response generation, the “think” tool lets Claude stop mid-process, reassess, and refine its approach in real-time. This upgrade is a game-changer for high-stakes, tool-heavy workflows where missing a step isn’t an option.

τ-Bench testing proves it’s not only theoretical. Within the airline domain—where rigid policies and layered decisions make AI stumble—the tool with optimized prompting pushed Claude’s pass¹ metric from 0.370 to 0.570, a 54% leap. In retail, where rules are looser, it still hit 0.812 with no extra guidance. This implies Claude now knows when to decelerate and think. Anthropic advises developers to implement domain-specific prompts for optimum effectiveness. Read more.