OpenDraft is an open source AI research draft generator that uses 19 specialized AI agents to create academic paper drafts with verified citations. It searches real academic databases (Semantic Scholar, CrossRef, arXiv) and produces properly formatted papers.

How does the multi-agent system work?

OpenDraft uses 19 specialized AI agents working in sequence: Planner agents break down topics, Scout agents search academic databases, Signal agents evaluate paper relevance, Scribe agents write content, and Architect agents structure and format the output. This separation of concerns ensures each task is handled by a purpose-built agent.

Are the citations verified?

Yes, all citations are verified against real academic databases including Semantic Scholar (200M+ papers), CrossRef, and arXiv. Each source includes DOI links for independent verification. Unlike ChatGPT, OpenDraft cannot hallucinate citations because they come directly from database queries.

Yes, OpenDraft is 100% free and open source under the MIT license. You only pay for AI API usage (OpenAI or Google), which typically costs $2-5 per research draft. There are no subscription fees or usage limits.

How long does it take to generate a paper?

Generation time depends on complexity: research papers take about 10 minutes, bachelor's thesis drafts about 12 minutes, master's thesis drafts about 15 minutes, and PhD dissertation drafts about 20 minutes.

How does OpenDraft compare to ChatGPT for research?

ChatGPT frequently hallucinates academic citations (30-50% of generated citations are fabricated). OpenDraft's architecture makes this impossible because citations come from real database queries, not AI generation. OpenDraft is purpose-built for academic research with verified citations.

Can I submit OpenDraft papers as my own work?

OpenDraft generates drafts to help start your research. The output should be reviewed, fact-checked, edited in your own voice, enhanced with your original analysis, and used according to your institution's AI policy. Always check your university's guidelines on AI-assisted writing.

Does OpenDraft store my data?

No. OpenDraft runs entirely on your computer when self-hosted. Your research topics, generated papers, and API keys are never sent to external servers. You maintain complete control over your data and research.

What export formats does OpenDraft support?

OpenDraft exports to PDF, Word (.docx), and LaTeX formats. All exports include properly formatted citations in your chosen style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

Is OpenDraft suitable for PhD dissertations?

Yes, OpenDraft is designed to handle dissertation-length literature reviews and research drafts. The multi-agent system can process complex topics and generate extensive drafts with comprehensive citations from 200M+ academic papers.

Why is OpenDraft open source?

OpenDraft is open source (MIT license) for transparency, academic integrity, and customization. You can inspect exactly how citations are verified, how agents work, and modify the code for your needs. This matters for academic work where you need to explain your tools.

What databases does OpenDraft use for citations?

OpenDraft searches Semantic Scholar (200M+ papers), CrossRef (130M+ DOIs), and arXiv (2M+ preprints). This covers virtually all peer-reviewed academic literature across all disciplines.

How do I get started with OpenDraft?

Setup takes about 10 minutes: install Docker, clone the repository, add your OpenAI API key, and run the application. Detailed instructions are available in the GitHub repository's Quick Start guide.

Can I use OpenDraft for literature reviews?

Yes, literature reviews are one of OpenDraft's primary use cases. The multi-agent system excels at finding relevant papers, synthesizing findings, and creating comprehensive literature review drafts with verified citations.

Will my paper be flagged as AI-generated?

AI detection tools vary in accuracy. We recommend using OpenDraft as a starting point, then substantially editing the content in your own voice. OpenDraft generates drafts, not finished papers—your editing and original analysis are essential.

What AI models does OpenDraft use?

OpenDraft supports multiple AI providers including OpenAI (GPT-4), Google (Gemini), and Anthropic (Claude). You can choose based on your preference and API access. The multi-agent architecture works across all supported models.

OpenDraft vs Jenni AI

Jenni AI is a subscription writing assistant focused on in-editor autocomplete and citation insertion. OpenDraft is an open-source, multi-agent tool that drafts entire research documents and verifies every citation against academic databases. They overlap on "AI helps you write academic text" but differ in model, pricing, and how citations are handled.

Different workflows

Jenni's core experience is a document editor with AI autocomplete: you write, and it suggests the next sentence, helps rephrase, and lets you insert citations as you go. It is well suited to people who want to stay in control sentence by sentence.

OpenDraft works at the document level. You describe the topic and academic level, and a pipeline of 19 specialized agents plans the structure, searches the literature, scores relevance, writes the sections, and formats the output with citations. It is suited to producing a structured first draft quickly.

Citations

Both tools can add citations, but the guarantee differs. OpenDraft only includes references that exist in Semantic Scholar, CrossRef, or arXiv, each with a DOI link, so fabricated citations are structurally prevented. Whatever tool you use, you should still confirm that each cited source actually supports the claim it is attached to.

Pricing and openness

Jenni AI is a closed, subscription product. OpenDraft is MIT-licensed and open source: free to self-host with your own API key (you pay only for AI usage), with a hosted option on openpaper.dev for people who want no setup. If you value inspecting and customizing the tool — or keeping your data on your own machine — the open-source model is the differentiator.

Jenni AI: subscription, in-editor autocomplete, closed source.
OpenDraft: open source, document-level multi-agent drafting, database-verified citations.

Which should you choose?

Choose Jenni AI if you want a polished editor with sentence-level AI help and don't mind a subscription. Choose OpenDraft if you want an open-source tool that produces a full structured draft with verifiable citations and that you can self-host. Some writers draft in OpenDraft, then refine in their editor of choice.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an open-source alternative to Jenni AI?

Yes. OpenDraft is an open-source (MIT) AI research paper writer you can self-host. It drafts full documents and verifies citations against academic databases.

Does Jenni AI verify citations?

Jenni lets you insert citations, but verification practices differ by tool. OpenDraft structurally restricts citations to real database records with DOI links. Always confirm each source yourself.

Try OpenDraft

Open-source AI research paper writer with citations verified against real academic databases. Run it yourself, or use the hosted version.

Try the hosted version View on GitHub