Ever typed a keyword into a search engine hoping to learn about a new field, only to get a page full of ads and irrelevant links? This guide teaches you how to do deep research with AI — from framing questions to generating reports. A practical, step-by-step approach that anyone can follow.

Why Use AI for Research

Traditional search engines and AI search each have their strengths, but in research scenarios, AI has clear advantages:

AI Search vs Traditional Search

Direct answers: No need to click through links — AI synthesizes information and gives you conclusions
Auto-summarization: When facing large volumes of data, AI extracts key insights for you
Contextual follow-up: Ask follow-up questions without starting over each time
Flexible output: Choose tables, outlines, reports, or any format you need

Tip: AI search and traditional search are complementary, not replacements. The best strategy is combining both — AI helps you quickly build a cognitive framework, while traditional search verifies specific data and sources.

Four-Step Research Workflow

AI Deep Research 4-Step Workflow

Step 1: Define Your Research Question

Many people jump straight to asking AI "tell me about XX" and get shallow, generic answers. Good research starts with good question framing.

Steps:

Write down your core question in one sentence
Break it into 3-5 sub-questions
Set scope: time range, geographic focus, industry boundaries
Choose the right AI tool

Example: If you want to understand the "new energy vehicle industry," dont just ask "how is the new energy vehicle industry" — break it down:

Core question: What are the trends in Chinas NEV market for 2025-2026?

Sub-questions:
1. Current market landscape — who are the major players?
2. Battery technology direction (solid-state, sodium-ion, etc.)
3. Autonomous driving tech routes and regulatory progress
4. Charging infrastructure development
5. Market competition after subsidy phase-out

Step 2: Multi-Source Information Retrieval

Dont rely on a single source. Here is a recommended retrieval strategy:

Source	Best For	Watch Out
AI Chat Tools	Quick framework building	Knowledge cutoff dates
Search Engines	Latest data and news	Distinguish ads from organic results
Academic Databases	Papers, patents, reports	Requires domain expertise
Social Media	Real user feedback and trends	Fragmented info, cross-validate

Tips for asking AI:

Round 1: Build framework
"Introduce the basics, key players, and tech routes of [field]"

Round 2: Deep dive
"You mentioned solid-state batteries — explain the principles, manufacturing challenges, and key companies"

Round 3: Get data
"Can you provide 2025 global EV battery market share data?"

Round 4: Comparative analysis
"Compare CATL and BYD battery technologies in a table"

Step 3: Extract and Organize

Once you have enough information, let AI help you organize it. The core principle is "separate signal from noise."

Organization prompt template:

Based on our conversation, help me compile a research summary:

1. Key conclusions (3-5 points)
2. Critical data points (cite sources)
3. Comparison of different viewpoints
4. Unverified information (needs further checking)
5. Your assessment and recommendations

Important: AI may "hallucinate" — fabricating non-existent data or citations. For critical data points (market share, specific numbers), always cross-verify with search engines or professional databases.

Step 4: Generate the Research Report

The final step — have AI output the organized information as a structured report:

Based on the above research, generate a formal report:

Format:
- Title: [Topic] Research Report
- Include: Executive Summary, Body (sections), Data Tables, Conclusions and Recommendations
- Body: 1500-2000 words
- Tone: Professional but accessible for non-specialists

Practical Research Prompt Templates

Template 1: Industry Research

Help me research the [industry name] industry:
1. Overview: definition, market size, growth trends
2. Competitive landscape: Top 5 players and their core strengths
3. Tech trends: key technology directions for the next 3 years
4. Investment opportunities: sub-sectors worth watching
5. Risk factors: main challenges facing the industry
Organize key data in tables.

Template 2: Product Comparison

Compare these products: [Product A], [Product B], [Product C]

Dimensions:
- Core features
- Pricing plans
- User reviews
- Pros and cons
- Best use cases

Organize in a table format with final recommendation.

Template 3: Technology Research

Research [technology name] technology:
1. Basic principles (explain in plain language)
2. Development history (key milestones)
3. Current applications
4. Advantages and limitations
5. Future roadmap
6. Recommended learning resources

Advanced Tips

Tip 1: Role-Playing for Better Answers

Assign an expert role to AI for significantly better responses:

You are a senior industry analyst specializing in market research and competitive analysis. Analyze [topic] from a professional analyst perspective.

Tip 2: Ask AI to Cite Sources

In research, information reliability is critical. Ask AI to cite its sources:

Answer the following and cite sources for each key data point:
- If from a public report, note the report name and publisher
- If speculative, clearly mark as "speculation"
- If uncertain, mark as "needs verification"

Tip 3: Use Socratic Questioning to Dig Deeper

Dont settle for the first answer. Use follow-up questions to go deeper:

"Why did this trend emerge?"
"What are the counter-arguments to this conclusion?"
"Does this conclusion still hold in [specific context]?"
"What risk factors might I be overlooking?"

Tip 4: Batch Research for Efficiency

If you need to research multiple similar topics, design a unified template and batch execute:

Here are 5 topics I need to research:
1. [Topic A]
2. [Topic B]
3. [Topic C]
4. [Topic D]
5. [Topic E]

Use a consistent format for each:
- Overview (100 words)
- Key data (table)
- Strengths and risks
- One-line conclusion

Recommended Tool Stack

Tool Type	Recommendations	Use Case
AI Chat	CiyuanQu, ChatGPT, DeepSeek	Framework building, synthesis
Search Engines	Google, Bing	Latest data, news verification
Academic Search	Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar	Papers, patents, technical reports
Note-Taking	Notion, Obsidian	Save and organize research

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Correct Approach
Fully trusting AI answers	Cross-verify critical data
Questions too broad	Break into specific sub-questions
Using only AI as source	AI + search engines + databases
Not verifying AI citations	Ask AI to cite sources and manually verify
Asking everything at once	Progressive layering, dig deeper each round

Summary

Deep research with AI comes down to four steps:

Define the question: Break big questions into small ones — the more specific, the better
Multi-source retrieval: AI builds the framework, search engines fill in data
Extract and organize: Let AI summarize, but verify critical data yourself
Generate the report: Choose the right format for your needs

Next step: Pick a topic you are curious about and try the four-step workflow. You will find that research that used to take days can now be done in hours.

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