Anthropic launches Claude Duet, an always-on AI agent, as a research preview
In short
Anthropic announced Claude Duet, an AI agent that works in connected apps and keeps running in the cloud after the app is closed. It is a research preview, open by waitlist to Pro and Max subscribers in the US, and outlets describe it as Anthropic's answer to Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots.
Read the full story 2 min read
Anthropic announced Claude Duet, an AI agent it calls a research preview, on Wednesday, according to Business Insider and Engadget. Access is by waitlist and limited to Pro and Max subscribers in the US. 9to5Mac says invitations will go out in waves and that Duet is not yet available on Team or Enterprise plans, which Anthropic plans to add in the future. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Anthropic says Duet sends a short brief each morning on the most important items across connected apps, keeps tabs on them through the day and messages the user only when something needs attention. Users can also hand it tasks ranging from scheduling meetings to building dashboards, creating financial or sales forecasts, prototyping and building web apps. MacRumors says it checks apps every few hours. 9to5Mac says it integrates with Stripe to check for unpaid invoices and with Link and Shop Pay to make purchases with user approval, and has a Tasks tab. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 ]
Duet is built around Opus 5.5 and pulls in memory, skills and connected apps from Claude. It runs on its own virtual machine with a browser, so it can keep working after the user closes the app. Anthropic says it is designed to ask before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes anything. The Verge reports a dedicated classifier and safety system prompt designed to reject requests to share the strictest tier of information, such as credit card numbers. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Anthropic describes Duet as an early version that still might misread a thread or miscalibrate what is urgent, and says it is not as strong at personal errands like booking tickets, The Verge reports. Duet counts toward existing plan usage limits, including background work, which the company says could cause users to reach limits sooner than with chat alone, 9to5Mac reports. Engadget reports that Anthropic says Pro subscribers will get access once the agent reaches general availability, and notes that Dots are currently only available to OpenAI's Pro tier, with plans starting at $100 per month. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 ]
Business Insider reports that Anthropic announced Duet on the day of Meta's earnings report. It says Karan Ahuja led product management for Meta Superintelligence Labs until July, according to his LinkedIn, before starting at Anthropic in August and leading Duet's development. Mike Krieger, a co-lead of Anthropic's Labs team, said in a launch video that the tool can have discernment and judgment about when to be proactive. Business Insider adds that Alexandr Wang, who heads Meta Superintelligence Labs, posted a meme about Duet's similarity to Muse. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
Outlets present the launch as Anthropic joining a field of proactive personal agents from Meta and OpenAI. Business Insider says it raises pressure on those companies, though the waitlist means it will not immediately compete for the larger market.
Key facts
- Anthropic announced Claude Duet, a proactive AI agent, as a research preview with access by waitlist. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Access is limited to Pro and Max subscribers in the US; Duet is not yet available on Team or Enterprise plans. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- Duet is built around Opus 5.5 and runs on its own virtual machine with a browser. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- It sends a short brief each morning and messages the user only when something needs attention. [ 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- Anthropic says Duet is designed to ask before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes anything. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- Duet uses existing Claude plan limits, including for background work, which Anthropic says could cause users to reach limits sooner than with chat alone. [ 1 , 5 , 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Claude Duet is a research preview available through a waitlist to Pro and Max subscribers in the US. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- Duet is built around Opus 5.5. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Duet asks the user for approval before big steps such as sending a payment or deleting something. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- Duet counts toward existing Claude plan usage limits, including background checks. [ 1 , 5 , 6 ]
- Outlets describe Duet as Anthropic's answer to Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- Which apps Duet is available on. The Verge says a standalone app on iOS and Android plus the web, Engadget says standalone Android and iOS apps, and MacRumors mentions the web or a standalone iOS app.
- When Pro subscribers will get access without a waitlist. Engadget says Pro subscribers will get access once the agent reaches general availability, while other outlets say Pro and Max subscribers can join the waitlist now; no date is given.
- How well Duet performs. Anthropic itself says it is an early version that might misread a thread or miscalibrate what is urgent, and is not as strong at personal errands like booking tickets.
- Details of the Reuters report. Only the headline of the Reuters item was available.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- 9to5Mac publishes its report on Claude Duet. [ 1 ]
- The Verge publishes its report. [ 2 ]
- Reuters publishes a report headlined as Anthropic unveiling the Claude Duet AI agent app. [ 3 ]
- Business Insider publishes its report. [ 4 ]
- MacRumors publishes its report. [ 5 ]
- Engadget publishes its report. [ 6 ]