Key Takeaways
- Anthropic’s AI assistant, Claude, can now conduct much deeper research, taking up to 45 minutes for complex tasks.
- Claude can now connect with popular workplace tools like Google Workspace, Jira, Zapier, and more through new ‘Integrations’.
- While powerful, users should carefully check AI-generated research for accuracy, as errors or invented sources are possible.
- These enhanced features are currently rolling out in beta to users on specific paid plans.
Anthropic recently announced significant enhancements to its AI assistant, Claude. Its ability to research topics has been expanded, allowing it to work for as long as 45 minutes to produce detailed reports.
This upgraded “Research” feature enables Claude to perform more thorough investigations by drawing information from numerous internal and external sources, according to Ars Technica. When activated, Claude intelligently breaks down complicated questions, researches each part, and then compiles a report complete with citations pointing back to the original information.
Similar deep research functions exist in other AI tools, and they can be quite effective at finding relevant information that might otherwise be hard to track down. However, it’s important to be cautious.
AI can sometimes generate plausible but incorrect information or even invent sources that don’t actually exist. While Anthropic notes most reports take between 5 and 15 minutes, the system can now handle much longer, complex tasks that would typically take humans hours to complete manually.
Using AI for research can certainly save time gathering sources. But careful review is crucial to ensure the information is accurate and relevant. Blindly trusting AI outputs is risky. Experts familiar with a subject may find these tools most useful initially, as they can better spot inaccuracies.
In one test reported by Ars Technica, Claude produced a generally accurate and nuanced report on the history of video games after about 13 minutes, complete with sources. However, it also included a quote that seemed potentially inaccurate or combined from uncited sources, highlighting the need for verification.
Even with impressive results, users should always dig into the provided sources and double-check the facts, especially when using the report for serious work.
Beyond research, Anthropic has also broadened how Claude can access data. It can now search connected applications using a new “Integrations” feature, building on its existing web search and Google Workspace capabilities.
These integrations allow Claude to connect with external tools and data sources. At launch, supported services include popular platforms like Jira, Confluence, Zapier, Asana, PayPal, and several others, with plans to add more soon.
The goal is to let Claude help with more specific tasks, like pulling sales data automatically or preparing meeting summaries based on calendar information, by working directly with the tools people already use.
Anthropic is making these advanced Research and Integrations features available in beta for users on its Max, Team, and Enterprise plans first, with access for Pro plan users expected shortly. The standard web search feature is now available globally to all users on paid plans.
