Anthropic releases AI upgrade as market punishes software stocks

• Claude Opus 4.6 can handle 1 million tokens in a single prompt and features autonomous agents in the Claude Code programming tool to complete tasks faster
• Traditional software stocks including Salesforce, Workday, and Thomson Reuters each declined around 3% Thursday, extending a week-long selloff driven by AI advancement concerns
• Anthropic's head of product stated the company aims to 'partner and actually lower the floor to get more value' from existing software tools rather than replace them

Market Summary: Anthropic AI Upgrade Amid Software Stock Selloff

Key Development:

Anthropic launched Claude Opus 4.6 on Thursday, an upgraded AI model that processes tasks longer and more reliably than its predecessor, Opus 4.5 (released November). The San Francisco-based startup, backed by Amazon.com and Alphabet's Google, is positioning itself ahead of a highly anticipated IPO.

Technical Capabilities:

• Handles 1 million tokens per prompt, matching capabilities of competitors
• Shows improvements in coding and finance applications
• Features Claude Code tool that distributes tasks among multiple autonomous agents
• Includes Claude Cowork product for automating white-collar business tasks

Market Impact:

Traditional software stocks experienced significant declines amid AI disruption concerns:

• Salesforce, Workday, and Thomson Reuters each traded approximately 3% lower Thursday
• Extended selloffs over the past week triggered by fears that AI will displace legacy software companies

Industry Response:

Technology leaders, including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, have downplayed disruption threats, arguing that established software companies possess competitive advantages through specialized products, extensive data, and AI adoption capabilities.

Anthropic's Head of Product Scott White emphasized partnership rather than displacement, stating the company aims to "connect AI to older software tools to make them more useful," positioning Claude Cowork as "the front door to getting hard work done."

Competitive Landscape:

The upgrade comes amid intense competition from Google and OpenAI, with Anthropic targeting software developers and enterprise customers to maintain its position at the technology frontier.