Anthropic Targets Professionals With New AI Tool
The new application focuses on business automation rather than personal errands, distinguishing itself from competitors in a crowded market.
By Luana Sato ·
The race to define the next generation of artificial intelligence is heating up.
Anthropic has entered the crowded field of personal and productivity assistants with the launch of Claude Duet. This new agent is designed to compete directly with established players such as Meta Muse, OpenAI Dots, Hark, Instinct, Grok Bot, and Fo. The company aims to capture user attention by focusing on a specific niche rather than attempting to be a universal solution for all AI needs.
The primary target audience for Duet includes professionals and small business owners who need help automating and managing their workflows. Anthropic draws a clear line between this tool and personal agents like Instinct. The company notes that Duet is not intended for handling personal errands, such as booking tickets. It also lacks the ability to display its browser usage in real time. Instead, the system focuses on generating daily briefings, creating data dashboards, and suggesting actions based on user information.
Like other agents in this emerging category, Duet can execute tasks in the background within its own virtual machine. This allows users to continue with their other responsibilities while the agent works. It will return to the user only if it requires approval to proceed. This launch coincides with a broader market shift away from simple AI assistants toward agents capable of acting on behalf of users. Many of Anthropic's competitors are also pivoting toward business use cases. For instance, Meta released a version of Muse for small businesses that connects to other apps, while OpenAI’s Dots integrates with professional tools.
The new tool is built on the Claude Opus 5.5 model and offers extensive connectivity. It can link to more than 6,000 connectors and plug-ins available in the Claude Marketplace. Duet is also capable of making online purchases on behalf of users through Stripe’s Link digital wallet or Shopify’s Shop Pay. However, the company emphasizes that sensitive steps, such as payments, require explicit user approval. The agent will not trade securities or move money between accounts without permission.
Security remains a key focus for the new release. Anthropic introduced a new classifier that checks each message to prevent sensitive information from leaking out. By default, the agent will decline requests asking for credit card numbers or government identification. This approach aims to balance utility with privacy for business users.
Claude Duet is currently available as an app on iOS and Android. It is also accessible on the web through Claude.ai. The service is in research preview for Pro and Max customers. Interested users must join a waitlist to begin testing the platform.
