Claude
Claude is Anthropic’s AI assistant platform, now centered around agentic models like Sonnet 5 that autonomously plan, code, and execute workflows. Its multi-tiered model family and secure infrastructure make it essential for knowledge work and scientific computing.
See it in Action
What it does
Claude is a family of AI assistant models developed by Anthropic, designed with an agentic architecture that can plan, use tools such as browsers and terminals, and run autonomously on professional tasks.
The latest iteration, Sonnet 5, achieves high performance in agentic coding benchmarks—scoring 80.5% in Terminal‑bench 2.1 compared to 67% for Sonnet 4.6—and is now the default model across Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans (<a href="https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/claude/claude-sonnet-5-is-here-and-the-most-agentic-sonnet-model-yet-shows-that-the-ai-war-is-shifting-from-chat-to-agents?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">techradar.com).
Anthropic also unveiled Claude Science, a beta “AI workbench” tailored for scientific workflows, consolidating fragmented tools like Jupyter, PubMed, terminals, and research tools into a unified environment (<a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/anthropic-launches-ai-workbench-for-scientists-using-claude?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">techradar.com).
Key Features
- Sonnet 5 Agentic Model: Enables autonomous planning, tool usage, and execution, significantly raising performance on coding tasks (<a href="https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/claude/claude-sonnet-5-is-here-and-the-most-agentic-sonnet-model-yet-shows-that-the-ai-war-is-shifting-from-chat-to-agents?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">techradar.com).
- Claude Science Workbench (Beta): Integrates research workflows into one platform for scientists, addressing fragmentation in tool usage (<a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/anthropic-launches-ai-workbench-for-scientists-using-claude?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">techradar.com).
- Multi-Tier Model Ecosystem: Includes Haiku (fastest), Sonnet (balanced), Opus (highest reasoning), and Fable (long-running agents), offering performance and cost flexibility through model selection (<a href="https://claudeanthropic.io/?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claudeanthropic.io).
- Developer & Platform Features: Includes Claude Code (agentic coding), Claude Cowork (automation), memory, research tools, integrations like MCP protocol with Microsoft 365, and connectors via Claude Science (<a href="https://claude.com/pricing?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claude.com).
Who it is for
Software Developers / Engineers: Benefit from agentic coding via Claude Code and high-performance models like Sonnet 5 for automating development tasks.
Researchers & Data Analysts: Claude Science streamlines research workflows, enabling tool chaining and integrated environments for scientific computing.
Knowledge Workers & Creators: Pro and Max plans offer long context windows, memory, project organization, and integrations to support writing, summary, and content workflows.
Enterprises & Teams: Team and Enterprise tiers provide admin controls, SSO, compliance APIs, and scalable usage—tailored for collaboration and governance.
How it works
- Sign up at claude.com or via API, selecting Free, Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan (<a href="https://claude.com/pricing?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claude.com).
- Choose a model: default Sonnet 5 for most, or switch to Opus, Haiku, or Fable based on task needs (<a href="https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/claude/claude-sonnet-5-is-here-and-the-most-agentic-sonnet-model-yet-shows-that-the-ai-war-is-shifting-from-chat-to-agents?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">techradar.com).
- Input prompt or task; Claude processes via LLM and tool execution (e.g., conductor, browsing, code execution, research synthesis).
- Receive output: executed plan, code, summary, or analysis. Memory and Projects persist across sessions where enabled (<a href="https://claude.com/pricing?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claude.com).
- For Claude Science users: orchestrate multi-step research workflows with integrated tools and context consolidation (<a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/anthropic-launches-ai-workbench-for-scientists-using-claude?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">techradar.com).
Pros
• Autonomous agentic capabilities with Sonnet 5 enhance productivity and reduce manual instruction.
• Broad model ecosystem allows optimizing for cost, speed, and reasoning.
• Specialized scientific workbench (Claude Science) supports domain workflows.
• Enterprise-grade features include memory, governance, connectors, and compliance tools.
Cons
• Advanced models like Sonnet 5 may require higher-tier subscriptions for extended usage.
• Claude Code’s availability may vary by plan and organizational policy.
• As agentic functionality grows, cost management becomes more complex with token‑based pricing.
Pricing Overview
Anthropic structures pricing across subscription tiers and API usage. Subscriptions include Free (baseline access), Pro (everyday use, includes agentic tools), Max (heavy usage tiers: 5× or 20× Pro capacity), Team (seat-based with admin and collaboration features), and Enterprise (custom with governance controls) (<a href="https://claude.com/pricing?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claude.com). API pricing is token-based across model types (e.g., introductory Sonnet 5 pricing transitioning after August 31, 2026; Opus, Fable, Haiku), including prompt caching, tool access like web search, code execution, and managed agents (<a href="https://claude.com/pricing?utmsource=openai" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claude.com).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Claude's most capable model?
Claude Sonnet 5 is the latest default agentic model that autonomously plans and executes tasks, outperforming Sonnet 4.6 in coding benchmarks and approaching Opus 4.8 performance ([techradar.com](https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/claude/claude-sonnet-5-is-here-and-the-most-agentic-sonnet-model-yet-shows-that-the-ai-war-is-shifting-from-chat-to-agents?utm_source=openai)).
What is Claude Science?
Claude Science is a public beta AI workbench tailored for scientific users, integrating tools like Jupyter, PubMed, and terminals into one unified workflow platform ([techradar.com](https://www.techradar.com/pro/anthropic-launches-ai-workbench-for-scientists-using-claude?utm_source=openai)).
How are pricing options structured?
Pricing includes subscription tiers (Free, Pro, Max 5×/20×, Team, Enterprise) with increasing usage limits and features, plus API usage billed per model and token consumption, with introductory pricing for Sonnet 5 until Aug 31, 2026 ([claude.com](https://claude.com/pricing?utm_source=openai)).
Which plan includes Claude Code and Cowork?
Pro and higher subscription plans include Claude Code and Claude Cowork as part of expanded features for productivity and automation ([claude.com](https://claude.com/pricing?utm_source=openai)).
Can Claude access my tools and documents?
Yes—through connectors and MCP, Claude integrates with platforms like Microsoft 365, Slack, Google Workspace, and supports tool access depending on plan and permissions ([claude.com](https://claude.com/pricing?utm_source=openai)).