What is Claude Duet? Features and creative uses of the proactive AI assistant

Claude Duet is Anthropic’s proactive AI assistant, powered by Opus 5.5. It entered research preview on October 21, 2026. It follows up on ongoing work and can take on projects that need sustained attention. The official introduction explains how it works and the preview requirements.

For creators, useful directions include organizing client materials, revising presentations, and turning product launch information into briefs for promotional assets. We’ll cover its capabilities and availability first, then look at an official presentation example and an original prompt for handing off creative work.

How Claude Duet changes the familiar chat workflow

You can assign tasks in one ongoing conversation. Duet uses a cloud virtual machine and browser to work even after you leave your device. It checks connected accounts every few hours and notifies you when a task is complete or needs your judgment.

This changes the input you need to prepare. A single exchange can focus on the question in front of you; an ongoing task also needs a goal, reference materials, and a definition of done. “Improve this proposal” leaves a lot open. Specifying the audience, which figures are confirmed, and which slides need changes makes it easier to receive a draft you can review.

How the result comes back matters, too. If you only see “done,” you still have to inspect everything from scratch. Feedback tied to specific files, slide numbers, and changes lets you spend time on the decisions that actually need you.

What it can do, and what still needs your approval

Official examples include meeting briefs, presentations, dashboards, web prototypes, and social campaigns for product launches. Before sending a message, making a payment, signing, or deleting something, it shows the action and waits for approval.

For creative work, distinguish between two kinds of output: a draft you can inspect, such as a presentation revised slide by slide, and information that still needs your input, such as whether a product claim has supporting evidence. Confusing “the draft is ready” with “every fact is confirmed” often leads to rework.

The current research preview starts with a waitlist for Pro and Max subscribers in the US, with access through standalone iOS and Android apps or claude.ai. It shares Claude’s usage limits, including background checks. Being on the waitlist doesn’t mean access has opened to every account.

The official presentation example: split slide 6 into two questions

In the official product-page demonstration, a café business updates a 12-slide fundraising deck with third-quarter data, leaving slides 6 and 9 for human review. The user finds slide 6 too crowded, so Duet splits it into revenue per café and profit per café. Sending the follow-up email still requires confirmation.

The revision is easy to learn from. “Make it look better” leaves the boundaries unclear. “Split this into revenue and profit slides, with one question per slide” gives direction for both content and layout.

You can narrow the next round further: keep the data definitions and chart colors, highlight differences between locations on the revenue slide, and explain major costs on the profit slide. That also makes review more focused, without reopening the style of the entire deck.

Creative use: give posters and short videos a clear brief

Consider a new paper notebook. Product photos establish its cover pattern and binding; a specification sheet supplies dimensions and paper details; client feedback helps decide which benefit to lead with. Reference images can inspire composition, while product facts should follow the actual item and its documentation.

Here’s an original handoff example. Replace the assets and source materials with those from your project.

I’ll provide the new notebook’s specification sheet, front and back photos, brand colors, and client feedback.
First, organize a creative handoff package.

Preserve the actual cover pattern, colors, proportions, and binding structure.
Use only information in the supplied materials for the copy. Mark missing prices, launch dates, or offers as awaiting confirmation.
List conflicting information together instead of choosing a version for the promotional copy yourself.

Asset 1: a 4:5 product launch poster.
Specify the audience, headline, product details that must be visible, and information hierarchy.
Asset 2: a 12-second vertical video.
Storyboard an opening reveal, a closer look at details, and a final hold. For each shot, identify existing materials and visuals still needed.

Give production instructions and open questions separately for each asset.
Finish by identifying what I should confirm first so the next step can begin.

Check whether the result identifies concrete gaps, such as “the front cover photo is sufficient, but a page-turn detail is missing.” Missing visuals can be photographed or illustrated; missing facts need to be verified against the source materials.

Keep feedback tied to each asset: “Keep the poster headline and shorten the supporting line. Retain the page turn in the video’s second shot, but hold the close-up longer. The price isn’t confirmed, so leave it out of both.”

Once the copy, materials, and brief are confirmed, bring them to PagePop to continue creating posters, short videos, or presentations, then refine each part against the actual work.