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OpenAI is expanding the capabilities of its AI-powered “deep research” tool by allowing it to analyze codebases hosted on GitHub. The company announced on Thursday that it’s rolling out the first official “connector” for ChatGPT’s deep research feature — a step aimed at making the tool even more useful for developers.
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This new GitHub connector, currently in beta, allows ChatGPT to access and understand code and engineering documents directly from GitHub. Developers can now ask specific questions about a codebase, request summaries of code structures, break down product specifications into technical tasks, and even explore real-world examples for implementing APIs.
Initially, this integration will be available to users on the ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team plans, with support for Enterprise and Education users coming soon.
Nate Gonzalez, OpenAI’s Head of Business Products, explained the motivation behind the new connector in a LinkedIn post. “Many users have told us that ChatGPT’s deep research capabilities are incredibly valuable, and they want the same power applied to their internal tools — not just the open web,” he wrote.
This move is part of a broader trend among AI companies to connect their chatbots to external services. It’s previously supported plug-ins for ChatGPT but replaced them with “custom GPTs.” Meanwhile, competitors like Anthropic have also started launching integrations for their own AI assistants, such as Claude.
OpenAI is positioning the GitHub connector as a productivity booster rather than a replacement for developer expertise. The company acknowledges that ChatGPT can still “hallucinate” — in other words, provide incorrect or misleading information — but believes the tool can still save time and streamline complex coding tasks.
Importantly, OpenAI says ChatGPT will respect existing GitHub permissions. Users will only be able to access repositories they already have permission to view, and only codebases explicitly shared with ChatGPT will be analyzed.
The GitHub connector follows a series of developer-focused upgrades from OpenAI. The company recently launched Codex CLI, an open-source coding assistant for the terminal, and updated the ChatGPT desktop app to better support popular coding environments.
OpenAI is also doubling down on customizability. Alongside the GitHub connector, the company introduced new fine-tuning options for developers. This includes the ability to fine-tune the new o4-mini “reasoning” model using a technique called reinforcement fine-tuning, and the GPT-4.1 nano model, now open to all paying developers.
However, access to o4-mini fine-tuning is limited to verified organizations, a requirement OpenAI began enforcing in April to reduce misuse. Organizations must submit official identification to gain access to certain models and advanced developer tools.
With moves like these, OpenAI is making clear that coding and developer workflows remain a major focus — and it’s aiming to make ChatGPT an even more integral tool in that space.
OpenAI Adds GitHub Integration to ChatGPT’s Deep Research Tool
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