What happens if DeepResearch's maximum research time (e.g., 30 minutes) is not enough to cover a particularly complex query?

If DeepResearch’s maximum research time (e.g., 30 minutes) isn’t sufficient for a complex query, the system will prioritize returning the most relevant information gathered within the time limit. This means the output will include the key findings or partial results identified during the initial research phase, even if deeper exploration is incomplete. The system might also flag that the response is time-constrained, signaling to the user that further investigation could refine the answer. Developers should expect a trade-off: faster responses for simpler queries versus less comprehensive results for highly complex ones.

For example, consider a query asking for a detailed performance comparison of three distributed database systems under specific edge-case workloads. If the time limit is hit, DeepResearch might return benchmark data for two databases and omit the third due to time spent parsing technical documentation or compiling metrics. Similarly, a query troubleshooting a multi-layered network issue might yield initial diagnostic steps (e.g., checking latency or packet loss) but lack deeper analysis of protocol-specific anomalies. In such cases, the system’s output serves as a starting point, leaving developers to manually extend the research or adjust parameters for narrower follow-up queries.

To mitigate this limitation, developers can optimize queries by breaking them into smaller, focused sub-questions. For instance, instead of asking, “How do I design a scalable cloud architecture for real-time data processing?” they might split it into stages: “Which message brokers handle 1M+ events/sec?” followed by “What database sharding strategies integrate with Kafka?” This allows DeepResearch to address each component within the time limit. Alternatively, configuring the system to prioritize critical subtopics (e.g., “focus on latency before throughput”) can improve result relevance. While the time constraint remains, structuring queries strategically ensures the most actionable insights are surfaced first.