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Claude Duet: Anthropic's new AI agent for your busywork, explained
Claude Duet is Anthropic's new agent that works in the background and asks before it sends, pays or signs. Here is what it does, who gets it, and how to join the waitlist.
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Download the free PDFWhat Anthropic announced
On October 21, 2026 Anthropic announced Claude Duet, a new app where Claude works as a proactive agent. It surfaces what needs your attention, does tasks you give it, keeps working when you are away, and asks before it acts on your behalf. Anthropic says it is aimed at professionals and small business owners, and it is built around Claude Opus 5.5.
It is a research preview, so access is by waitlist.
Who can get it
- Plans: Claude Pro and Max subscribers. Team and Enterprise plans are not included yet.
- Where: the US only, for now.
- Apps: a standalone app on iOS and Android, and on your computer at claude.ai.
- Price: included in Pro and Max at no separate charge. It shares your plan's usage limits with the rest of Claude, and its background checks count toward them. Bigger jobs, like a financial model or a deck, use more.
How to join the waitlist
- Open the Claude Duet page.
- Press Join the waitlist.
- Wait for the email. Anthropic says it will email you when access is ready.
Your Claude memory, skills and connected apps carry over once you are in.
Connect your apps
Duet works with more than 6,000 connectors and plugins from the Claude Marketplace. Anthropic's page lists Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, Notion, Shopify, Stripe, QuickBooks, HubSpot and Microsoft 365 among them. You can disconnect any app it can reach.
Once connected, it checks your accounts every few hours. You choose what you want to hear about and how often. It sends a short morning brief of what needs you, and messages you only when something needs attention.
Give it a real job
You talk to it in one ongoing thread, by text or voice. Anthropic's small-business examples include:
- Invoices: check QuickBooks or Stripe for unpaid invoices and draft reminders.
- Inbox: find missed Gmail and Slack messages and help you reply.
- Payroll: prepare payroll in Gusto for your review.
- Contracts: prepare agreements and send them for signature through Docusign.
- Sales: draft follow-up emails from HubSpot contact and deal history.
A starter prompt, in plain words: Find my unpaid invoices from the last 30 days and draft a polite reminder for each one.
It asks before it acts
Duet reads, drafts and prepares work on its own. Before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes anything, it shows you the exact action and waits for your approval. Anthropic also says some actions are off-limits even with approval, including trading securities and moving money between accounts.
Why it is different: its own computer
Duet runs on its own virtual machine with its own browser. That is why your laptop or phone does not need to stay on while it works.
Limits to know about
- It is an early version. Anthropic says it may misread a thread or misjudge urgency, and it can miss something that arrives between check-ins.
- It is weaker at personal errands, like booking tickets.
- It cannot show you its browser yet.
- It lives in its own app, separate from the main Claude app.
Treat the first weeks as a trial: start with drafting jobs, and read every approval card before you press Approve.
Questions people also ask
What is Claude Duet?
A new Anthropic app where Claude works as a proactive agent. It sends a morning brief, does tasks you give it, keeps working while you are away, and asks before it acts for you.
Who can use Claude Duet?
Right now it is a research preview, by waitlist, for Claude Pro and Max subscribers in the US. Team and Enterprise plans are not included yet.
How much does Claude Duet cost?
It is included in Pro and Max at no separate charge. It uses the same usage limits as the rest of Claude, and bigger jobs use more of them.
Can Claude Duet send emails or pay invoices without asking?
No. Before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes anything, it shows you the exact action and waits for your approval.
Does my phone need to stay on?
No. Anthropic says Duet runs on its own virtual machine with its own browser, so your laptop or phone does not need to stay on.
How do I join the waitlist?
Open claude.com/product/claude-duet and press Join the waitlist. Anthropic says it will email you when access is ready.
Sources
- Anthropic: Claude Duet announcement (October 21, 2026)
- Claude Duet product page and waitlist
- Claude Duet overview
What Fynl.io is, and where it fits
Fynl.io is one portal a small business runs itself on, instead of five subscriptions that do not talk to each other.
The AI runs on your own Claude or ChatGPT API key. You keep the key, you pay the model provider directly, and there is no markup on top of it. There is no SMS or phone calling yet, and we would rather say so than let you find out later.
Fynl.io works the same way for the rest of your business: one portal for CRM, invoices, calendar and email, with AI that runs on your own Claude or ChatGPT API key, with no markup.