AI start-up Anthropic has released a beta version of its speech mode for its AI chatbot Claude.
The voice option allows Claude mobile-app users to have complete spoken conversations with the chatbot. It will be available in English in the coming weeks, according to Anthropic’s official X account and revised material on the company’s website.
This update follows the San Francisco-based startup’s recent release of its Claude Opus 4 and Sonnet 4 large language models (LLMs).
Anthropic’s speech feature allows users to converse about papers and images while selecting from five different voice options. Users can switch seamlessly between text and speech and access transcripts and summaries of previous discussions.
However, the new feature comes with limitations. Voice chats count towards normal usage caps, with Anthropic estimating that most free users will have 20–30 conversations.
In addition, only premium Claude members can use a Google Workspace connector to access Google Calendar appointments and Gmail emails via voice. Google Docs connectivity is currently available only for Claude Enterprise plans.
In an interview with the Financial Times in March, Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger acknowledged the company’s work on voice capabilities for Claude. According to the FT report, Anthropic was in talks with Amazon — its key investor and partner — and voice-focused AI startup ElevenLabs about developing additional voice features for the chatbot.
Anthropic Web Search API
Anthropic has also recently launched a web search API for its Claude AI models, enabling developers to access real-time information.
The API allows Claude to determine whether a query requires current data, formulate relevant search queries, retrieve and analyse results, and provide answers with citations.
Developers can customise these services and set permissions for online searches. Organisations can enable or disable the search feature as required. The update also enhances Claude’s deep-research capabilities, allowing it to scan enterprise accounts and specified websites.
The API’s launch aligns with broader AI industry efforts to bolster model capabilities and attract enterprise clients. Anthropic recently introduced a tool for integrating applications with Claude and upgraded its deep-research functionality, enabling the chatbot to search across enterprise accounts, websites and other sources.
“Developers can now augment Claude’s comprehensive knowledge with current, real-world data by enabling the web search tool when making requests to our API,” Anthropic stated in its release. “With web search, developers can now build AI solutions that tap into current information without needing to manage their own web search infrastructure.”
