On October 21, 2026, Anthropic introduced Claude Duet. Duet takes the initiative on its own: the agent regularly checks your emails, calendar, and tools, and reaches out when something needs your attention. It completes tasks on its own cloud-based computer, even when your laptop is long since turned off.
The bad news first: you can't use Duet in Germany yet. The research preview is only launching in the US. Still, it’s worth a closer look, as Duet shows where AI assistants are currently heading. We haven't tested Duet ourselves yet. This article is based on official information from Anthropic, their help pages, and partner announcements.
What is Claude Duet?
Claude Duet is an AI agent from Anthropic that works for you in the background. It monitors connected apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, or HubSpot, sends you a morning briefing, and alerts you when there’s something to do. It handles tasks on its own cloud computer. Duet has been available as a research preview since October 21, 2026.
Anthropic is targeting Duet at freelancers and small businesses. Duet runs as a standalone app for iPhone and Android and in the browser at claude.ai. You communicate with the agent via a single, ongoing chat. Duet pulls memories, skills, and connected apps from your existing Claude account. Under the hood, it runs on Claude Opus 5.5. You cannot select a different model; Duet determines the effort required for each task itself.
Want to understand how autonomous systems differ from traditional chatbots and rigid automations? Read our comprehensive guide on Agentic AI explained.
How Claude Duet works
Your day with Duet begins with a short morning briefing on the most important items from your connected apps. After that, the agent checks your accounts every few hours. It only messages you when something needs attention. You decide what you want to be notified about and how often.
You can simply hand off larger tasks in the chat. Anthropic cites examples like coordinating appointments, building dashboards, creating financial and sales forecasts, and developing prototypes or small web apps. To do this, Duet works on a virtual machine with its own browser. Once a task is finished or if it requires your approval, you’ll receive a notification.
The app has two sections. Under "Tasks," you can see ongoing work and anything waiting for your response. Under "Make," you’ll find finished results like files and dashboards. Only you can mark a task as complete; Duet merely suggests it.
Anthropic has released three examples from the pilot phase. For a real estate agent, Duet noticed a viewing that had been scheduled for the wrong day. A brand consultant received a briefing for a client meeting, including a note that the appointment was right before her flight. And a restaurant owner with about 110 employees uses Duet for accounting, customer service, marketing, and invoices.
Which apps does Claude Duet work with?
Duet accesses more than 6,000 connectors and plugins from the Claude Marketplace. According to the help page, this includes Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Slack, QuickBooks, HubSpot, Docusign, and Calendly. Several partners announced their own integrations at launch:
There are also plans for Duet to be able to log into websites using saved credentials from 1Password, with your permission. Two gaps are noticeable: Microsoft 365 is not yet supported, and Slack only works with limitations. The partner list is also tailored to the US market. QuickBooks and the payroll service Gusto appear in the announcements, but German standards like DATEV or Lexware do not.
What Claude Duet can and cannot do
An agent that reads emails and can initiate payments needs clear boundaries. Anthropic has established these rules:
- Approval before important steps: Before Duet sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document, or deletes anything, it shows you the planned action and waits for your OK. If you can't respond immediately, it pauses that step.
- Absolute taboos: Trading securities, moving money between accounts, and accessing another person's account are not possible, even with approval.
- Passwords: Duet never sees your passwords or login tokens directly. You enter your credentials in a separate form on your smartphone, outside of the chat.
- Purchases: Every order is processed using a virtual card that is valid only for that specific purchase. The merchant never receives your actual card number.
- Sensitive data: A dedicated filter scans messages for sensitive information. Duet rejects credit card and ID numbers, and only shares health or financial data if you explicitly instruct it to do so.
Duet treats content from emails and websites as information and does not follow instructions contained within them. However, Anthropic notes that it is impossible to fully prevent hidden commands in such content. That is precisely why any significant action requires your approval. External security firms tested Duet before its launch, and there is also a public bug bounty program in place.
Limitations of the Research Preview
Availability: Duet is currently only available for US accounts with a Pro or Max plan and is accessible via a waitlist. Team and Enterprise plans are not yet supported. Anthropic has not announced a release date for Europe.
Delays: Duet checks your accounts at set intervals. Anything that arrives shortly after a check will wait until the next one.
Misinterpretations: According to Anthropic, Duet may misread an email thread or misjudge its urgency. Personal tasks like booking tickets are less reliable than business workflows.
Control: You cannot watch the agent in the browser. It cannot make calls or send SMS, and it can only send emails with your approval.
Usage limits: Duet is free during the preview, but it counts toward your plan's usage quota. This also applies to the morning briefing and background checks. If you are accepted by November 30, 2026, your five-hour and weekly limits will be reset once.
What does Claude Duet mean for companies in Germany?
In the short term, not much changes since you cannot use Duet yet. However, the direction is clear. OpenAI and Meta are also working on agents that run continuously in the background and reach out to you proactively. This turns AI assistants from a tool you call upon into a colleague that thinks along with you.
You can already build many of these things with Claude today, though it requires more setup. At bakedwith, we use three such workflows ourselves:
- Morning briefing: Claude creates a summary from your calendar and emails on workdays.
- Month-end closing: Claude checks our Qonto business account to see which receipts are missing. It retrieves invoices from provider portals—like Meta—that aren't emailed directly and attaches them to the corresponding transaction. Claude also flags duplicate receipts, incorrect categories, and overdue customer invoices for us.
- Outreach: Claude reads the responses to our campaigns in Instantly and sorts them by level of interest.
All three run as skills in Claude. Duet pulls these exact skills directly from your account. If you set up your workflows as skills now, they’ll be ready to go as soon as Duet becomes available here. You can read more about automated receipt processing in Automated bookkeeping.
We see both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace among our clients. If you’re already using Google Workspace, HubSpot, and Slack, you’ll likely be the first to benefit. If your email and calendar are in Microsoft 365, you’ll have to wait for that integration. For companies, there’s also the data protection aspect: Duet reads emails, appointments, and customer data, and without Team or Enterprise plans, you lack the necessary admin controls. You can find out what to look for with US tools in AI and data protection.
Bottom line: Claude Duet shows where AI assistants are headed
Claude Duet is an AI agent that keeps an eye on your apps in the background, alerts you when needed, and handles tasks on its own cloud server. It only executes critical steps—like payments, messages, and signatures—once you’ve given the green light. For German companies, Duet isn't an option yet: the preview is currently limited to the US, Microsoft 365 integration is missing, and Team plans aren't supported.
The best way to get started: pick a recurring task, like your morning briefing or your list of open invoices, and build it as a skill in Claude today. You’ll save yourself the work immediately and have the workflow ready to go by the time Duet arrives in Germany.
If you’d like to know which of your workflows are suitable for this, get in touch with us for an AI consultation.
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FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Claude Duet
How much does Claude Duet cost?
There is no extra charge for Duet during the research preview. However, you do need a Pro or Max plan, and Duet will count against your usage limits, including for background checks and your morning briefing.
Is Claude Duet available in Germany?
No, not yet. The preview is restricted to US accounts, and Anthropic hasn't announced a release date for Europe.
How do I get on the waitlist for Claude Duet?
Via the Claude Duet product page. You’ll need to provide your name, email address, plan type, and smartphone model. The email address must match your Claude account, and invitations are sent out in waves.
Does Claude Duet work with Microsoft 365?
Not yet. According to the help page, Microsoft 365 isn't available yet. Google Workspace with Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, however, is supported.
Is Claude Duet secure?
Anthropic uses several layers of protection: approvals before important actions, no direct access to passwords, single-use cards for purchases, and a filter for sensitive data. Hidden commands in emails or websites can't be completely ruled out, though. So, always double-check every approval before you confirm it.
What is the difference between Claude Duet and Claude?
In a standard Claude chat, you ask questions and get answers. Duet monitors your connected apps, takes the initiative, and handles tasks in the background. Duet pulls your memories, skills, and connections directly from your Claude account.
Posted by:
Jens is the co-founder of bakedwith, a boutique consultancy firm specialising in smart automation and AI. He helps medium-sized companies and corporations to optimise processes, reduce manual work and achieve growth through efficient workflows. Previously, he was Growth Lead at OMR and worked as a freelancer, helping numerous companies optimise their CRM and automation systems. Jens is passionate about combining growth and efficiency to enable teams to focus on what matters most.
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