Anthropic Unveils Claude Duet Proactive Agent

Anthropic has introduced Claude Duet, a proactive AI assistant running on the Claude Opus 5.5 model that works independently in the background. Currently accessible via a U.S. waitlist for existing Pro and Max subscribers at no extra charge, the tool operates through dedicated iOS and Android applications as well as the web interface. Duet executes tasks inside hosted cloud virtual machines equipped with custom browsers, allowing scheduled jobs to run continuously even when a user's phone or computer is powered off.

The agent integrates with over 6,000 connectors, including Gmail, Slack, Stripe, QuickBooks, Gusto, Shopify, and DocuSign. To manage computational cost and plan quotas, Duet checks connected accounts every few hours rather than continually polling them. It can triage messages, prepare payroll entries in Gusto, draft LinkedIn job postings, handle DocuSign workflows, and set up invoice reminders in QuickBooks or Stripe. Business purchases can run through Stripe's Link digital wallet using virtual cards, while future support for 1Password logins is also planned.

Security guardrails require explicit human approval before Duet can send communications, transfer funds, sign legal agreements, or delete data. Securities trading and transfers between financial accounts are completely prohibited. Anthropic incorporated credential isolation to keep passwords hidden from the model, alongside automated classifiers designed to block leaks of sensitive information like credit card numbers and government IDs. However, background activity draws from a user's existing Pro or Max message quotas, meaning complex tasks that require multiple model turns may exhaust session limits faster.