Anthropic launches Claude Duet, an agent that messages you first Anthropic

Anthropic has launched Claude Duet, a personal agent that works in the background and messages you first when a task is done or needs your decision. It is a research preview with a waitlist, for Claude Pro and Max subscribers in the US.

Claude already had agents, but you had to start them and wait. Duet works differently. You drop a task into a single chat-style thread. Duet does it on its own computer in the cloud and tells you when it is finished or when it needs you. Every morning it sends a briefing, then stays quiet until something needs your attention.

Anthropic announced Duet on October 21, 2026.

What it is

• One thread. Your memory, skills and apps from the Claude app are there from the first message.
• Works in the background. It keeps working while you are away, on its own cloud computer.
• Messages you first. It writes when a task is done or needs a decision.
• Morning briefing. It drafts next steps, then goes quiet until something needs you.
• More than 6,000 connectors and plugins, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, Stripe and HubSpot.
• Asks before it acts. Before sending messages, making payments, signing documents or deleting anything, it shows you what it is about to do and waits for your approval. Some actions, such as trading securities and moving money between accounts, stay blocked even with approval.
• Apps: a standalone app for iOS and Android, plus the web at claude.ai.

Who can get it

There is no separate price. Duet shares your plan's usage limits with the rest of Claude, and its background checks and larger tasks count toward them.

Sources

• Claude Duet product page
• Introducing Claude Duet, Claude blog, October 21, 2026