On 21 October 2026, Anthropic announced a research preview of Claude Duet. Anthropic describes it as "a new app where Claude works as a proactive agent". This is a preview, not a general release. Access is by waitlist, starting with US subscribers to the Pro and Max plans.
Everything below about what Duet does and how safe it is comes from Anthropic's own announcement. It is the company's account of its product, not an independent test.
What Anthropic says it does
Anthropic says Duet comes to the user with what needs their attention, completes tasks it is asked to do, keeps working while the user steps away, and checks with them before it acts on their behalf. It says it built the app for professionals and small business owners.
The routine, as Anthropic describes it, is a short brief each morning on the most important items across the user's connected apps. Through the day, Duet keeps tabs on those apps and messages the user only when something needs attention. Users can also hand it tasks, from scheduling meetings to building dashboards, creating financial or sales forecasts, prototyping and building web apps.
Anthropic says it designed Duet around Claude Opus 5.5. It says Duet carries over memory, skills and connected apps from the user's Claude account. It also says Duet runs on a virtual machine with its own browser, so it does not need the user's laptop or phone to be on.
The company says Duet checks connected accounts every few hours, because checking nonstop would use up a plan's limits much faster. Anthropic adds that background checks count toward those limits, and that larger tasks, such as building a financial model or a deck, require more model turns and background work.
Where it asks first
Anthropic says Duet reads, drafts and prepares work on its own. Before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes anything, it shows the user exactly what it is about to do and waits for approval. A few things are off-limits even with approval, Anthropic says, such as trading securities or moving money between accounts. Users can disconnect any app Duet has access to.
Anthropic lists the tools it says Duet can use through the more than 6,000 connectors and plugins in the Claude Marketplace. They include Gmail, Slack, Intuit QuickBooks, Stripe, Gusto, LinkedIn, Docusign, HubSpot, Canva and Shopify. Anthropic says Duet can also buy things for a business through Link, Stripe's digital wallet. Duet confirms the item with the user, Link asks them to approve the spend, and payment is made with a virtual card so the real card number is not shared. Anthropic says it can also use Shop Pay from Shopify at online stores. Sign-in with logins saved in 1Password is listed as coming soon.
The safety claims
Anthropic says Duet's handling of credentials follows the design it uses for Claude Managed Agents, so the agent never directly sees a user's passwords or sign-in tokens. It says actions are approved by its auto mode classifier, and that its defences against prompt injection come from its browser-use research. It also says red teams and an external firm penetration tested Duet, and that the app is covered by its public bug bounty programme.
For sensitive information, Anthropic says it is releasing Duet with a new dedicated classifier and safety system prompt that checks each message. They are designed to reject requests to share the strictest tier of information, including credit card numbers and government identification. Other sensitive information, such as health or personal finances, is let through only when the user has explicitly told Duet to send it. Anthropic says it will share more details about how Duet is designed for safety "in the coming days".
What Anthropic says it doesn't do well yet
Anthropic calls this an early version. Its words: "it still might misread a thread or miscalibrate what's urgent." It says it built the core functionality around work, so personal errands such as booking tickets aren't quite as strong, and Duet can't yet show users its browser. For now it lives in its own app, separate from the main Claude app.
Who's using it
Anthropic's announcement describes early users. It names Boris Cherny, who leads the Claude Code team, and Chelsea Larsson, who leads Anthropic's model and product behaviour design team. It also names Karan Ahuja, who leads the Duet team and, Anthropic says, works with the tool to schedule user interviews, partner on prototypes and ship code.
Anthropic also quotes small business owners given early access. Amin Ebrahimi owns Shahs of Kabob in South Florida, which has about 110 employees. He used Duet for accounting, customer support and marketing, and said: "I don't need to open up 100 tabs." Jess Provencher, a broker and owner at Pro Homes, said that when Duet flagged a showing on her calendar for the wrong day, it was the kind of thing she wanted caught without having to ask. Anthropic says Duet noticed that a call Mya Dalton, a brand strategist, had with a potential client fell right before her flight, and offered to move it; she said, "I love that proactivity." These are testimonials chosen by Anthropic.
How it was received
The Verge, reporting on 21 October, described Duet as "an AI agent competitor to Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots". It also noted that users will need to be Pro or Max subscribers in the US.
What you need to know
- Status: research preview, announced 21 October 2026, by waitlist.
- Who: US Pro and Max subscribers first. Duet is included in those plans and shares their usage limits.
- Where: a standalone app on iOS and Android, and on claude.ai.
- Anthropic's own caveat: an early version that may misread a thread or miscalibrate what's urgent.
Duet is available today only as a waitlist research preview.
Sources
Anthropic (2026) 'Introducing Claude Duet', Claude, 21 October 2026, available at: https://claude.com/resources/articles/claude-duet (Accessed: 22 October 2026).
Peters, J. (2026) 'Anthropic takes on Muse with Claude Duet, its new AI agent', The Verge, 21 October 2026, available at: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1015843/anthropic-claude-duet-ai-agent (Accessed: 22 October 2026).
