Anthropic, the company behind the AI chatbot Claude, has introduced a new “tool use” feature that allows users to create personalized bots to perform various tasks. These tasks range from reading emails and making online purchases to providing real-time technical support. The tool can connect to any external API, giving users various customizable options.
For example, an AI assistant can analyze data to generate personalized product recommendations based on a user’s purchase history or quickly respond to customer inquiries about order statuses. The tool’s capabilities extend to visual data, such as processing room images and providing personalized decor suggestions. Dianne Penn, a project lead at Anthropic, mentioned that the team has beta-tested the Claude tool with a select group of customers since April.
One of the early adopters is Study Fetch, which used the tool to create a personalized AI tutor named Spark.E.
The AI assistant will be accessible through Anthropic’s Messages API, Amazon Bedrock, and Google Vertex AI. Pricing for the service is based on the volume of text processed, measured in “tokens,” with rates such as 25 cents per million input tokens and $1.25 per million output tokens during the beta phase.
Customizable AI assistants expand capabilities.
AI assistants and agents are becoming increasingly common, with companies like Google and OpenAI also making strides in this area. Google showcased various AI-powered features to handle shopping and searching tasks at its recent I/O event. At the same time, OpenAI demonstrated AI’s ability to respond in real-time and perform tasks such as preparing for job interviews. Anthropic’s new tool further democratizes the creation of AI assistants, allowing users to develop solutions without relying solely on tech giants.
This innovation opens up numerous possibilities for individuals and startups looking to leverage AI for tailored applications. As businesses increasingly look for ways to automate processes and provide more efficient customer service, custom AI assistants could become indispensable tools. However, integrating Claude’s tool-use capabilities with existing business systems may present challenges, such as complex ticketing systems and records that might make it difficult for Claude to look up order numbers.
Despite these hurdles, Anthropic’s efforts to make tool sets more accessible and user-friendly have not gone unnoticed in the industry. As the custom AI feature rolls out to Claude users in the coming weeks, it remains to be seen how quickly businesses will adopt this new technology and its impact on customer service and support. However, with the rapid advancements in AI and the increasing demand for efficient, personalized solutions, Anthropic’s move could be a significant step forward in the evolution of human-AI interaction in the business world.
