What is available
Anthropic announced Claude Duet on October 21, 2026. This catch-up covers a research preview with a waitlist for US Claude Pro and Max subscribers, rather than access for everyone. Its product FAQ says Team and Enterprise are not included yet.
It is a proactive assistant built around Claude Opus 5.5: it can bring work to your attention instead of waiting for another prompt. Anthropic says it uses connected apps and its own cloud computer to prepare work while your device is off. It carries over Claude memory, skills, and connections.
Background work still has limits
During the preview, Duet shares your Claude plan's limits. Background checks count; larger jobs need more work. Anthropic says it checks connected accounts every few hours and waits for approval before sending messages, paying, signing, or deleting.
Those are vendor descriptions, not our test results. Anthropic acknowledges possible mistakes about messages or urgency, weaker support for personal errands, and that users cannot yet view its browser.
Our take
Start with one small chore and a clear stopping point. If you already have access, try a fictional to-do list or invented appointment notes. An experiment should help you judge the workflow without needing private customer information or a new purchase.
Review which apps are connected and what each connection permits. Before approving a real action, check the recipient, dates, amounts, and final content yourself. A promise to ask permission is useful, but the displayed action still needs inspection.
Compare the finished work with your original request, and watch the remaining allowance. If you cannot inspect an important step or the assistant adds an unsupported detail, narrow the task or stop. Convenience is worth judging alongside visibility and control.