Doubao's newly released Deep Thinking makes AI search more like human thinking

Doubao’s newly launched Deep Thinking seems... not so “artificially stupid” when used?

When AI search tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Mita first came out, they all said they would overturn traditional search. What was the result? I excitedly threw a complex question to the AI, and it searched hundreds of web pages, but the answer it gave me was still a little lacking.

Either the information is too fragmented, like piling up data; or the AI ​​fails to grasp the key points and gives irrelevant answers. I always feel that AI is just mechanically transferring information and does not really understand my questions, let alone think like a human.

Just like... just like those perfunctory workers in the workplace, the reports they submit seem to have a lot of content, but in fact they do not solve the core problem.

However, this cannot be entirely blamed on AI. After all, when we search for information online, we are easily confused by all kinds of information and lose sight of the key points.

AI developers are also aware of this problem. Recently, many AI search tools have begun to upgrade, striving to make AI smarter and think and search more like humans.

Doubao’s new “Deep Thinking” feature claims to allow AI to learn to “think and search at the same time.”

From “search first and think later” to “think while searching”, is AI search really going to become smarter?

Previous AI search tools, although using AI technology, are essentially still the old way of "search first, think later". Just like a diligent "porter", they first search for a lot of information from the Internet, then simply organize it and hand it over to you.

Doubao's new version of "Deep Thinking" is different. It wants AI to think deeply and reason while searching. In simple terms, it allows AI to think with questions like humans, and constantly adjust search strategies according to the progress of thinking to find more accurate and in-depth answers.

Sounds a bit abstract? No problem, let’s put this into practice with a few examples.

Case 1: Stock Market Analysis

I asked Doubao: "How do you evaluate the A-share market on March 28, 2025?"

Let’s first take a look at Doubao’s deep thinking chain.

The "thinking process" that Doubao showed when answering this question really surprised me.

It does not simply search for "A-share market on March 28, 2025" and then give the data. Instead:

1. 1.  First, divide the characters according to the goal,  determine the questions to be answered, and divide the tasks according to the goal.
2. 2.  Perform a preliminary search  to obtain basic information on the A-share market on March 28, 2025.
3. 3.  Dig deeper  to further search for missing information.
4. 4.  Make inferences based on the available information and  finally draw conclusions.

This "think while searching" model makes the AI ​​search process more like the thinking process of the human brain, more flexible and in-depth.

Let’s take a look at the answer given by Doubao after deep thinking.

First of all, because the data comes from real-time search network information, it is accurate.

Then, it provides real-time data based on different dimensions, from the overall to the local, from market conditions to capital flows, from external markets to internal policies, from technical aspects to market sentiment.

Finally, it also gives market outlook and operation suggestions like an investment consultant, not only telling the results but also giving guidance.

For comparison, I turned off Deep Thinking and asked the same question.

It can be seen that after turning off "Deep Thinking", Doubao still searches for real-time data through the Internet to ensure the accuracy of the data, but the answers are obviously simplified, lacking logic and depth, and are more like a simple summary of information.

With this comparison, we can clearly feel the importance of "thinking like a human".  The blessing of "deep thinking" makes AI's answers more refined, more intimate and more valuable.

Let’s look at another question, which is about suggestions for traveling in Harbin.

I asked Doubao: What suggestions do you have for traveling to Harbin? My kids want to see snow. Find a plan with the best value for money. The thinking process and answer are as follows.