Anthropic launches Claude Duet, a proactive AI agent app, as a research preview
The app, built on Claude Opus 5.5, watches connected tools and handles tasks, but asks the user before sensitive steps.
The 30-second read
- Anthropic opened a research preview of Claude Duet, an app in which Claude serves as a proactive agent for professionals and small business owners.
- Pro and Max users in the US can join a waitlist for access. Team and Enterprise customers are left out for now.
- Duet seeks approval before any message goes out, any payment is made, any document is signed or anything is deleted. It competes with Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots.
Anthropic has opened a research preview of Claude Duet, an app in which Claude acts as a proactive agent. It runs on Claude Opus 5.5 and is aimed at professionals and small business owners. Karan Ahuja leads the team behind the product. The launch was reported by CNBC-TV18 and The Verge.
Duet sends a morning brief, keeps watch on connected apps and messages the user only when needed. It can also take on scheduling, dashboards, forecasts, prototyping and web apps. The Claude Marketplace offers over 6,000 connectors and plugins. Anthropic described the app this way, as first reported by CNBC-TV18: "It comes to you with what needs your attention, completes tasks you ask of it, keeps working even when you step away, and checks with you before it acts on your behalf".
Duet pauses for the user's approval ahead of any outgoing message, payment, document signature or deletion. Trading securities and moving money between accounts stay off-limits even with approval. Requests to share the strictest tier of data, such as credit card numbers and government identification, are blocked by a newly built classifier and a dedicated safety system prompt. Anthropic also lists limits: Duet may misread a thread, misjudge urgency, do worse at personal errands like booking tickets, and cannot yet show its browser. Access is a waitlist for Pro and Max subscribers in the US, on iOS, Android and claude.ai.
Rivals are moving in the same direction. Meta has Muse. Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Meta, said over 10 million people across the US and Canada had set up Muse agents over six weeks, first reported by CNBC-TV18. At its yearly developer conference, OpenAI unveiled Dots, agents that are always on, also first reported by CNBC-TV18.
Why it matters
AI agents that act on their own are becoming a main battleground for the big AI labs. Indian professionals and founders should note that Duet is US-only for now.
The data
| Company | Product | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | Duet | Workplace productivity |
| Meta | Muse | Consumer assistance |
| OpenAI | Dots | Consumer and business |