OpenAI has introduced a new, free tool designed specifically for scientific work called Prism. It is described as an AI-native workspace for scientists to write and collaborate on research, powered by their GPT-5.2 model.

The core problem Prism aims to solve is fragmentation. The announcement notes that everyday research tasks drafting papers, managing equations and citations, coordinating with collaborators often require switching between disconnected tools like separate editors, PDF readers, LaTeX compilers, and reference managers.

What Prism Is:

Prism is a cloud-based, LaTeX-native workspace that integrates AI directly into the writing process. It allows researchers to draft, revise, and prepare for publication in a single environment where the AI has access to the full document context, including text, equations, figures, and citations.

Key features highlighted include:

· Chat with GPT-5.2 Thinking within the project to explore ideas and reason through problems.

· Draft and revise with the full paper as context.

· Search and incorporate relevant literature from sources like arXiv.

· Create and refactor equations and citations with AI understanding.

· Turn whiteboard equations or diagrams directly into LaTeX code.

· Collaborate in real-time with unlimited co-authors on a single project.

· Make direct, in-place edits to the document via chat or optional voice commands.

Access and Collaboration:

Prism is free to use for anyone with a ChatGPT personal account, offering unlimited projects and collaborators. It will soon be available for organizational plans (Business, Enterprise, Education). The tool is built on the foundation of Crixet, a cloud-based LaTeX platform that OpenAI acquired.

The announcement positions Prism as a step toward reducing mechanical overhead in daily research work, hoping to enable more researchers across disciplines and career stages to participate fully in the scientific process. More advanced AI features within Prism are expected to be introduced through paid ChatGPT plans in the future.