Claude just upgraded its AI — and it can now process entire projects at once

Just as we're all discovering the advanced performance of Claude Opus 4.6, Anthropic is unveiling Claude Sonnet 4.6 — and it’s a bigger upgrade than the version number suggests. The company says this is its most capable Sonnet model yet, bringing major improvements across coding, reasoning, computer use and design — all while keeping the same pricing as Sonnet 4.5.

More importantly, Sonnet 4.6 closes the gap between mid-tier and flagship AI models. Tasks that previously required an Opus-class model can now run on Sonnet — at a fraction of the cost. Here’s what you need to know.

A smarter model — without higher pricing

chatbot benchmarks — (Image credit: GDPval-AA Leaderboard)

Claude Sonnet 4.6 is now the default model for Free and Pro users in Claude.ai and Claude Cowork. Early developer testing shows strong preference for the new model, with users favoring Sonnet 4.6 over its predecessor roughly 70% of the time. In some workflows, testers even preferred it to Claude Opus 4.5 thanks to better instruction-following and fewer hallucinations.

One of the biggest upgrades is a 1M-token context window (currently in beta). That’s enough to analyze:

entire codebases
lengthy legal contracts
dozens of research papers
complex multi-document workflows

But size isn’t the whole story. Sonnet 4.6 is designed to reason across that context, enabling better long-horizon planning and multi-step problem solving all while prioritizing safety.

In one evaluation simulating business operations, the model invested aggressively early, then pivoted toward profitability — a strategic shift that helped it outperform competitors.

We’re getting closer to truly autonomous AI

claude art — (Image credit: Anthropic/Claude)

Anthropic continues pushing toward AI that can operate software the way humans do. Instead of relying on APIs, Claude can:

click through interfaces
complete multi-step web forms
navigate spreadsheets
coordinate tasks across browser tabs

Benchmarks from OSWorld — which tests AI using real software like Chrome, LibreOffice and VS Code — show steady improvement, with early users reporting human-level performance on complex workflows.

This matters because most business software wasn’t built for automation. A model that can use tools the way people do could dramatically expand what AI can actually accomplish. That said, the company acknowledges the technology still trails expert human users, but progress is accelerating.

Stronger prompt-injection defenses

Hands on a computer keyboard with a lock icon — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

As AI gains the ability to operate computers, security risks rise. One of the biggest threats is prompt injection, where malicious instructions are hidden inside websites or documents.

Anthropic says Sonnet 4.6 shows a major improvement in resisting these attacks compared to Sonnet 4.5, performing similarly to its latest Opus model in safety evaluations.

Sonnet 4.6 introduces several platform improvements:

Adaptive & extended thinking modes
Context compaction to summarize older conversation content (currently in beta)
Web search tools that filter results automatically
Expanded tool calling, memory and code execution capabilities
Excel add-in support for MCP connectors (FactSet, PitchBook, S&P Global and more)

Bottom line

For most real-world productivity work, Sonnet 4.6 now offers near-flagship performance at a significantly lower cost. Anthropic says Opus 4.6 remains the best option for complex codebase refactoring, multi-agent coordination and high-precision reasoning tasks.

Claude Sonnet 4.6 is available now across Claude.ai, Claude Cowork, Claude Code, the Claude API and major cloud platforms. The free tier has also been upgraded and now includes file creation, connectors and context compaction.

With massive context handling and improved computer-use capabilities, this release pushes AI closer to being a true digital coworker rather than a typical chatbot.

Check back here for real-world tests to see what this new model can do.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

Amanda Caswell is an award-winning journalist, bestselling YA author, and one of today’s leading voices in AI and technology. A celebrated contributor to various news outlets, her sharp insights and relatable storytelling have earned her a loyal readership. Amanda’s work has been recognized with prestigious honors, including outstanding contribution to media.

Known for her ability to bring clarity to even the most complex topics, Amanda seamlessly blends innovation and creativity, inspiring readers to embrace the power of AI and emerging technologies. As a certified prompt engineer, she continues to push the boundaries of how humans and AI can work together.

Beyond her journalism career, Amanda is a long-distance runner and mom of three. She lives in New Jersey.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.