Claude API Now Supports Real-Time Web Search Capabilities

Anthropic just added web search to its AI assistant Claude. The move lets developers build applications that tap into current information from across the internet.

The new feature works through Anthropic's API, giving Claude access to fresh data without developers needing to build their own search infrastructure. When Claude needs current information, it searches the web, analyzes what it finds, and provides answers with source citations.

Several companies already use the tool. Quora integrated it into Poe, its AI platform. "It delivers search results with impressive speed," says Spencer Chan, Poe's product head. Adaptive.ai, which helps people build apps, found the search results "consistently thorough."

How the Search System Works

The system includes built-in controls. Companies can create allow-lists of approved domains and block-lists for sites they want to avoid. Administrators can also turn web search on or off across their organization.

Behind the scenes, Claude acts as a research assistant. It can run multiple searches, using earlier results to guide new queries. This helps it dig deeper into topics and build comprehensive answers.

Industry Applications

Anthropic designed the feature for specific business needs. Financial firms can use it to track market trends and regulatory changes. Legal teams can search recent court decisions. Developers can pull up the latest documentation and GitHub updates.

The tool also extends to Claude Code, Anthropic's development environment. There, Claude can search current API documentation and technical articles, helping developers work with new frameworks or fix tricky bugs.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing starts at $10 per 1,000 searches, plus standard token costs. The feature works with three Claude models: 3.7 Sonnet, the upgraded 3.5 Sonnet, and 3.5 Haiku.

Dennis Xu, who co-founded Adaptive.ai, sees particular value in Claude's research abilities. "The depth and accuracy of Claude's responses and its ability to function as a research agent will make a significant difference," he says.

Strategic Context

The launch fits into Anthropic's recent pattern of expanding Claude's capabilities. Last week, they released tools to connect applications directly to Claude and added "deep research" features for searching enterprise accounts and websites.

This pattern shows how AI companies keep adding features to attract new customers. Each addition aims to make their platforms more useful for real-world applications.

Why this matters:

• Companies now get fresh web data through Claude without building complex infrastructure
• The tool marks a shift from static AI knowledge to dynamic, current information access - potentially changing how businesses use AI for daily decisions

Read on, my dear:

Anthropic: Introducing web search on the Anthropic API