Anthropic launches a work-focused AI assistant to rival major tech giants

Anthropic has officially entered the crowded market of personal and productivity-focused artificial intelligence by launching a new application called Claude Duet. The company is positioning this tool as a direct competitor to established players like Meta Muse, OpenAI Dots, Hark, Instinct, Grok Bot, and Fo. While the industry is currently seeing a new assistant launch almost every week, Anthropic is betting that a specialized approach for professionals will capture user attention and drive adoption.

The company is making a clear distinction between Claude Duet and other personal agents. Anthropic notes that Duet is not designed to handle casual errands, such as booking tickets, or to provide a live view of its browser activity. Instead, the tool is built specifically for professionals and small businesses who need help automating and managing complex tasks. This shift reflects a broader market trend where AI is moving beyond simple chatbots toward agents that can execute work on a user's behalf.

In terms of functionality, Duet focuses on data-driven outputs. It can build daily briefings, create custom dashboards, and suggest specific actions based on the user’s existing data. Like other modern agents, Duet operates in the background using its own virtual machine. This allows it to complete tasks while the user continues with their day, only interrupting them when approval is required for the next step.

The new agent is powered by the Claude Opus 5.5 model and offers extensive connectivity. Anthropic states that Duet can link to more than 6,000 connectors and plug-ins available in the Claude Marketplace. This broad integration capability allows the tool to interface with a wide variety of professional software and services, ensuring it can fit into diverse business workflows.

One of the key features of the new launch is its ability to conduct financial transactions. Duet can make online purchases on a user's behalf using Stripe’s Link digital wallet or Shopify’s Shop Pay. However, the company has established clear boundaries for these actions. Sensitive steps, such as payments, always require explicit user approval. The agent is explicitly programmed not to trade securities or move money between different accounts, limiting its financial scope to direct purchases.

Security is a central focus for this release. Anthropic introduced a new classifier that scans every message to prevent sensitive information from leaking out. By default, the agent is designed to turn down requests that ask for credit card numbers or government identification, adding an extra layer of protection for users sharing data with the system.

The competitive landscape is shifting as rivals also target business use cases. Meta’s Muse, while primarily a personal assistant, recently released a version tailored for small businesses with app connections. Similarly, OpenAI’s Dots has a business-oriented focus with integrations for professional tools. Anthropic’s entry adds another layer to this competition, emphasizing proactive recommendations and monitoring of ongoing tasks.

Claude Duet is currently available for iOS and Android devices, as well as on the web through Claude.ai. The app is in a research preview phase and is accessible to Pro and Max customers. To try the new tool, users must currently join a waitlist, signaling that Anthropic is managing rollout capacity as it gathers initial feedback.

As the line between personal and professional AI blurs, this launch highlights the stakes for companies trying to define the next generation of digital workers. By focusing on automation and data management rather than casual interaction, Anthropic is testing whether a dedicated business agent can stand out in a market flooded with general-purpose assistants.