Anthropic’s new Claude 4 AI model works autonomously for 7 hours
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has announced its latest AI model, Claude Opus 4, capable of working autonomously for nearly seven hours straight.
The company, which counts Amazon and Google among its major backers, introduced Claude Opus 4 alongside Claude Sonnet 4, a more efficient model for general use. Both models are part of Anthropic’s next-generation Claude 4 update, designed to tackle larger, more complex projects with minimal human intervention.
Automating mundane tasks, not replacing humans
Anthropic positions its new model as a tool to automate the repetitive and unfulfilling aspects of work, rather than outright replacing jobs.
Scott White, Anthropic’s product lead for Claude.ai, explained, “It’s like the kind of thing that is challenging that, you know, might represent 30% of your day, that isn’t necessarily fulfilling or professionally expanding you, but is necessary in the pursuit of being successful in your job”.
For example, a marketing professional could use Claude Opus 4 to analyze past advertising campaigns across platforms like Google and Facebook, interpret results, and recommend new strategies, all without ongoing supervision. This shift allows employees to delegate routine tasks and focus on more creative or strategic work.
Industry impact and growing investment
The debut of Claude Opus 4 comes amid a surge in enterprise investment in generative AI. A Menlo Ventures report found that enterprise spending in the sector increased sixfold in 2024, with Anthropic gaining ground on OpenAI’s dominant market share.
According to McKinsey & Company, 92% of companies plan to increase investments in generative AI over the next three years.
However, the rise of autonomous AI also raises concerns about workforce impact. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report found that 41% of employers expect AI to lead to downsizing as automation takes on a larger role in daily tasks.
A step toward the future of work
Claude Opus 4’s ability to sustain complex, multi-step tasks for nearly a full workday marks a significant step in the evolution of AI from reactive assistants to proactive agents.
As tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Apple accelerate their own AI initiatives, Anthropic’s latest release signals a new era where AI could fundamentally reshape how work gets done, one shift at a time.
