AI tools for research with sources
Find, organize, and explain information while keeping a clear path back to the original material.
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Alphabetical, not ranked. Fit guidance is based on the linked company pages. Open a profile for US pricing, limitations, and sources.
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ChatGPTOpenAI
A hosted assistant for conversation, web research, document work, data analysis, writing, images, and code.Start here if
Research needs to continue into file analysis, data work, images, or drafting in one account.
Look elsewhere if
You need source links on every ordinary answer without using Search or Deep Research, or cannot confirm the Deep Research allowance on your plan.
Related company sources: ChatGPT overview (opens in a new tab) · ChatGPT Deep Research (opens in a new tab) · ChatGPT Search data sharing (opens in a new tab)
ClaudeAnthropic
A hosted assistant for writing, research, analysis, coding, and creating work from uploaded context.Start here if
You need to synthesize research alongside substantial documents or written context.
Look elsewhere if
Research must stay fully local and offline.
Related company sources: Use research on Claude (opens in a new tab) · Upload files to Claude (opens in a new tab)
Google GeminiGoogle
A hosted Google assistant for web research, uploaded-file analysis, connected Google services, and drafting in Canvas.Start here if
Research should combine Google Search with selected files, Gmail, Drive, or other connected Google material, then export to Docs.
Look elsewhere if
You need source links on every ordinary answer, fully local processing, or research without the required Google account settings.
Related company sources: Deep Research (opens in a new tab) · Connect Google Workspace (opens in a new tab) · View related sources (opens in a new tab)
Microsoft 365 CopilotMicrosoft
An assistant built into Microsoft 365 applications and connected to an organization’s work data.Start here if
Research spans managed Microsoft 365 mail, meetings, files, and the web.
Look elsewhere if
You lack qualifying Microsoft 365 access, need more than Researcher’s published 25 queries per user per month, need a standalone research tool, or need user-controlled site restrictions in standard Researcher. Frontier Computer Use offers only admin-configured website limits and requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license plus administrator enablement.
Related company sources: Microsoft 365 Copilot Researcher FAQ (opens in a new tab) · Copilot Chat with and without an add-on (opens in a new tab) · Researcher with Computer Use overview (opens in a new tab) · Researcher with Computer Use admin configuration (opens in a new tab)
Notion AINotion
AI features inside Notion for drafting, workspace search, meeting notes, and multi-step agent tasks.Start here if
Workspace and connected-app knowledge should produce source-linked answers inside Notion, with control over which sources are searched.
Look elsewhere if
You do not have a Business or Enterprise workspace, or need a standalone research tool outside Notion.
Related company source: Notion Enterprise Search (opens in a new tab)
PerplexityPerplexity AI
A search assistant that answers questions using current web sources and links back to them.Start here if
Your first need is current web research with visible links back to the original sources.
Look elsewhere if
Research must stay inside a closed, self-hosted environment, or every long uploaded file must be analyzed in full; uploads are capped at 40 MB, and Perplexity extracts what it considers important from long files without publishing the cutoff.
Related company sources: Perplexity overview (opens in a new tab) · File uploads (opens in a new tab)
What matters for this work
- 01Source coverage and link quality
- 02Control over which material is used
- 03Handling of long or conflicting sources
- 04Data handling for uploaded and connected sources
- 05Export and handoff options
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