Anthropic has launched web search capabilities for its AI assistant, Claude. This allows the chatbot to access current information when responding to queries.
The feature represents a major upgrade, allowing Claude to supplement its existing knowledge base with real-time data.
How Claude’s Web Search Works
When Claude incorporates information from the internet, it provides direct citations to allow users to verify sources.
Like other chatbots with search access, Claude processes webpages and delivers the information in a conversational format.
See some examples below:
Screenshot from: Anthropic.com, March 2025.
Screenshot from: Anthropic.com, March 2025.
Screenshot from: Anthropic.com, March 2025.Adding web search addresses one of Claude’s previous limitations compared to competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google’s Gemini, all of which already offer similar internet-connected capabilities.
Business & Consumer Applications
Anthropic shows how Claude’s new search feature can help different groups:
- Sales professionals can look at industry trends to prepare better for talks with potential clients.
- Financial analysts can find current market data and earnings reports to guide their investment choices.
- Researchers can strengthen their literature reviews by searching for primary sources online.
- Consumers can compare product features, prices, and reviews to make better buying decisions.
Availability & Rollout
The web search feature is available only in “feature preview” for paid Claude users in the United States.
Anthropic says support for free-tier users and expansion to additional countries is planned for the near future.
Paid users can activate web search through their profile settings before starting a conversation with Claude 3.7 Sonnet, which will then automatically search the web when relevant to queries.
Industry Context
This update arrives as internet access becomes common among major AI assistants. Claude is praised for its reasoning and creative writing skills, but it has struggled with current information.
Adding web search features shows that Anthropic aims to position Claude as a complete AI assistant for businesses and consumers.
Featured Image: gguy/Shutterstock
