Anthropic has officially introduced Claude Duet as a research preview. The new service marks a significant evolution for Claude, transitioning the assistant from a reactive chatbot into an always-on proactive agent.
Rather than waiting for prompts inside a browser tab, Claude Duet runs on its own virtual cloud computer. This setup enables it to execute background workflows independently even when users close the app or power down their laptops.
How Claude Duet Works in the Background
Duet can analyze connected inboxes, calendars, and project tools overnight to present users with actionable priorities each morning.
The agent goes beyond simple notifications by drafting follow-ups, identifying schedule conflicts, and flagging urgent communications. Users can review these summaries on the web or through dedicated iOS and Android mobile apps.
For complex tasks, Claude Duet handles multi-step operations on its own cloud-based virtual machine. It can track down unpaid invoices, gather research, build dashboards, and organize project assets without requiring constant supervision.
If a destination web service lacks a direct API connector, the assistant can deploy an integrated cloud browser. This allows it to navigate web portals and gather necessary information autonomously.
Built-in Guardrails and Human Approval
To ensure security across connected platforms, Anthropic designed the agent around strict human-in-the-loop guardrails. The system automatically pauses and requests explicit user permission before taking sensitive actions.
These protected operations include sending outbound emails, processing payments through Stripe or Shop Pay, signing documents, and deleting records. A dedicated Tasks tab lets users track running workflows, while final completion sign-offs remain strictly in user hands.
Under the hood, the service is powered by the flagship Claude Opus 5.5 reasoning model. It retains existing user memory, learned skills, and OAuth connectors, carrying forward previous context without requiring manual re-entry.
Availability and Rollout Details
Claude Duet is currently rolling out as an experimental research preview via a waitlist. Access is initially limited to individual Claude Pro and Claude Max subscribers located in the United States.
Anthropic confirmed that background tasks draw against a subscriber’s existing plan usage limits with no separate add-on fee. Expansion to Team and Enterprise plans is scheduled for a future rollout phase.
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