Anthropic Unveils Claude Duet To Challenge OpenAI And Meta in the AI Agent Field
Anthropic has introduced Claude Duet, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent designed to handle work tasks in the background. It can send users updates and prepare work even when their computers are turned off.
The new product goes beyond the usual chatbot model, where users enter a request and wait for an answer. Claude Duet can watch connected apps, find tasks that need attention and keep working on longer projects without needing an active conversation with the user.
The launch puts Anthropic in more direct competition with OpenAI and Meta. Both companies have recently introduced their own personal AI agents as technology companies compete to make AI a regular part of how people manage work and daily tasks.
Unlike Meta's consumer-focused Muse, Claude Duet is mainly designed for professionals, business owners and people who run small businesses, according to Anthropic's official announcement.
The company said the agent can do many kinds of tasks, including scheduling meetings, preparing financial forecasts, building dashboards and creating web applications.
Duet is built on Anthropic's Opus 5.5 model. It uses information already available through a customer's Claude account, including saved details, connected apps and existing preferences.
Each morning, the assistant can prepare a short report about important developments across the tools a user uses at work. It then checks those services every few hours and sends more alerts when it decides something needs attention.
Users can also give it more complex projects. The system can choose which apps to use and decide how to finish the work. It runs on a dedicated virtual machine with its own web browser. This means assigned tasks can keep running even when the user's phone or laptop is turned off.
Anthropic said the assistant currently checks connected accounts every few hours instead of watching them all the time. One reason is that frequent checks use up more of a subscriber's allowed usage.
Users can access Claude Duet through a separate app for iOS and Android or through the Claude website. During the research preview, it has the same usage limits as the customer's existing subscription.
At first, access is available through a waitlist for eligible customers in the U.S. who have Anthropic's Pro or Max plans. One feature that sets the product apart is its ability to connect with thousands of business apps. According to Anthropic, the agent can use more than 6,000 connectors and plugins through the Claude Marketplace.
These include Gmail and Slack for workplace messages, QuickBooks and Stripe for managing finances, Gusto for handling payroll, HubSpot for managing sales, and Shopify for running online stores. Anthropic said early business testers have used Claude Duet for accounting, customer support and marketing.
Anthropic's announcement comes after several product launches by rival companies trying to gain a place in the growing market for AI assistants that can work on their own.
Meta introduced Muse in September. The assistant can send emails, book travel and handle longer projects using its own virtual computer.
The service is available through its own app and WhatsApp. Meta presents it as a personal assistant for everyday users.
During Meta's third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that more than 10 million people in the U.S. and Canada had set up Muse personal agents over the previous month and a half.
OpenAI entered the market on Sept. 29 with Dots. It can work on ongoing projects, connect to thousands of apps and learn users' preferences over time.
All three companies are building assistants that can do work beyond a single conversation, but each has taken a different approach so far.
Anthropic admitted that Claude Duet is still experimental. It may misunderstand conversations or make mistakes when deciding which matters are urgent.
The company has not said when Claude Duet will become available to everyone. It has also not announced a separate price for the service, which is included in existing subscriptions during the preview.