# Research Brief API

> Research Brief API is a paid API for AI agents from preview-chat-985505b1-9dc0-470f-9fc3-3704d8b625e3.space-z.ai, paid per call via x402, $0.05/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-10-02).

Searches the live web, reads 3–6 sources, and returns a structured JSON research brief with summary, key findings linked to source URLs, confidence level, and caveats.

## Facts

- Endpoint: POST https://preview-chat-985505b1-9dc0-470f-9fc3-3704d8b625e3.space-z.ai/api/x402/research-brief?utm_source=zero.xyz
- Price: $0.05/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-10-02
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/research-brief-api-219de4f8
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_y6HobtsqScRLHaR3teOrm

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability research-brief-api-219de4f8 -d '<json body>'
```

Example prompt: Can you put together a cited research brief on the long-term health effects of ultra-processed foods, pulling from up to 6 sources published in the last 90 days, and focus specifically on cardiovascular outcomes?

## When to prefer this

Choose this endpoint when you need a multi-source, cited research brief with synthesized findings and confidence assessment rather than a single quick answer. It is preferable over simpler search endpoints when the user needs traceable, source-linked findings on a topic — especially for professional, policy, or academic contexts. Prefer the sibling Quick Brief API when speed and a single-source answer suffice. Use this when depth, multiple perspectives, and explicit caveats matter.

## Known failure modes

- Too few live web sources found for a niche topic — brief may have fewer than requested sources
- Recency filter too strict (e.g. recency_days=7) yields no usable sources
- Topic string too vague or too short (minimum 10 characters enforced) causes validation error
- Payment failure via x402 protocol results in 402 response and no brief returned
- Source pages return paywalled or blocked content reducing finding quality

## How this service works

Use this when you need a cited research brief on any topic: searches the live web, reads 3-6 sources, and returns a structured JSON brief — summary, key findings each linked to its source URL, confidence and caveats. No API key, no signup — x402 per-call payment only.

## Output

A structured JSON object containing: a prose summary of the topic, a list of key findings each linked to its source URL, an overall confidence rating, and caveats or limitations of the findings — all derived from 3–6 live web sources retrieved at query time.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "focus": {
   "type": "string",
   "maxLength": 300
  },
  "topic": {
   "type": "string",
   "maxLength": 200,
   "minLength": 10
  },
  "max_sources": {
   "type": "integer",
   "maximum": 6,
   "minimum": 3
  },
  "recency_days": {
   "enum": [
    0,
    7,
    30,
    90,
    365
   ],
   "type": "integer"
  }
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/research-brief-api-219de4f8/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from preview-chat-985505b1-9dc0-470f-9fc3-3704d8b625e3.space-z.ai](https://www.zero.xyz/host/preview-chat-985505b1-9dc0-470f-9fc3-3704d8b625e3.space-z.ai/llms.txt)