New featureReleased 21 October 2026 · 5 min read
An agent that watches work apps needs a policy first.
Anthropic has opened a research preview of Claude Duet, a new app where Claude works as a proactive agent across your connected apps. It is open by waitlist to Pro and Max subscribers in the US, on iOS, Android and claude.ai. Anthropic says it checks with you before it acts on your behalf.
At a glance
- Status
- Research preview, waitlist
- Plans
- Pro and Max, US
- Where
- iOS, Android, claude.ai
- Built around
- Claude Opus 5.5
- Cost
- Included in Pro and Max
01 · What changed
What Anthropic shipped.
Anthropic says Duet comes to you first. It sends a short morning brief on the most important items across your connected apps, messages you during the day only when something needs your attention, and keeps working on tasks in a virtual machine with its own browser while your laptop or phone is off. For a firm, the practical point is where it sits: the preview is on individual Pro and Max plans, and it carries over the memory, skills and connected apps from that person's Claude account.
- 1
Morning brief
Each morning Duet sends a short brief on the most important items across your connected apps.
- 2
Watches connected apps
Through the day it keeps tabs on those apps and messages you only when something needs your attention, Anthropic says.
- 3
Works in the background
Duet has a virtual machine with its own browser, so tasks continue with your devices off. You get a notification when a task is done or needs review.
- 4
Checks before acting
Anthropic says Duet checks with you before it acts on your behalf, and its auto mode classifier approves actions.
- 5
Carries your Claude context
Memory, skills and connected apps come over from your Claude account. You message it by typing or voice in one ongoing thread.
- 6
Credential handling
Anthropic says it follows the Claude Managed Agents design, so Duet never directly sees your passwords or sign-in tokens.
- 7
Sensitive data classifier
A new classifier rejects requests to share the strictest tier of information, such as credit card numbers and government identification. Health or personal finance details go only on explicit instruction.
- 8
Built on Opus 5.5
Anthropic says it designed Duet around Claude Opus 5.5. Red teams and an external firm penetration tested it, and it is covered by the public bug bounty program.
02 · What it means
What it means for your seat.
Anthropic says it built Duet for professionals and small business owners, and it reaches whatever apps a person has connected to Claude. If anyone at your firm uses a personal Pro or Max plan with work email or calendars connected, Duet could read that data and propose actions on it under that person's account. Decide your position before the waitlist reaches them.
Leadership
Anthropic describes Duet as an agent that decides what needs you, what can wait and when to check with you first. That suits a partner buried in IC memos and investor email, but the preview runs on individual Pro and Max plans and the sources describe no firm admin controls for it. Set a position: allowed for non-confidential work, allowed on approval, or not yet.
Risk and compliance
Duet reads connected apps and can send messages for the user after checking with them. Anthropic's sensitive information classifier names credit card numbers and government identification as blocked, and health or personal finances as allowed on explicit instruction; deal terms, LP data and non-public information are not named in that description. Map Duet against your rules on personal accounts, electronic communications and data rooms before anyone connects work systems.
IT and engineering
Anthropic says Duet never directly sees passwords or sign-in tokens, following the Claude Managed Agents credential design, and that actions pass its auto mode classifier. It runs in its own virtual machine and browser, so work continues with the user's devices off. Find out which staff hold Pro or Max seats and which connectors they have enabled, since Duet inherits them.
Your teams
Anthropic's examples range from scheduling meetings to building dashboards, financial or sales forecasts, prototypes and web apps. A sensible first use is something like turning a week of non-confidential calendar items into a draft weekly status report. Keep credit agreements, data room files and live deal material out of it until your firm says otherwise.
03 · This week
What to do this week.
0 of 3 done
Sources
Facts and dates are Anthropic’s own. What it means and what to do are our view, from the firms we work with. Drafted with Claude from these sources, checked against them figure by figure, and published 22 October 2026.
The short answers.
What is Claude Duet?
Claude Duet is a new Anthropic app, now in research preview, where Claude works as a proactive agent. It sends a morning brief on your connected apps, messages you when something needs attention, completes tasks in the background and checks with you before acting on your behalf.
Who can use Claude Duet and does it cost extra?
The research preview is open by waitlist to Pro and Max subscribers in the US, as a standalone app on iOS and Android and on claude.ai. Anthropic says it is included in Pro and Max plans for the preview and uses the same usage limits as the rest of Claude.
Is Claude Duet available on Claude Team or Enterprise plans?
Anthropic's announcement and release notes name Pro and Max plans only for the research preview. They do not mention Team or Enterprise plans.
How does Claude Duet handle sensitive information?
Anthropic says Duet ships with a dedicated classifier and safety system prompt that check each message. It is designed to reject requests to share the strictest tier of information, such as credit card numbers and government identification, and lets other sensitive information such as health or personal finances through only when you have explicitly instructed it to send it.
Read next
Newsletter
Keep up with every release.
One email when something ships or retires that matters to a company: what changed, what it means, the date and what to do. Unsubscribe any time.
Want this working inside your firm?
We run Claude workshops on your own documents and stay on as your teams adopt each release.