Anthropic's new AI model can now deliver responses 2.5x faster
08 Feb 2026

Anthropic has unveiled a new "fast mode" for its latest artificial intelligence (AI) model, Claude Opus 4.6.

The company claims this innovative feature can deliver responses up to 2.5 times faster than the standard version of the model.

The fast mode is specifically designed to provide software developers with quick responses for coding and complex queries without compromising on quality.

Fast mode available in limited research preview
Enhanced efficiency

The fast mode of Claude Opus 4.6 is being rolled out as an early experiment and is available in a limited research preview through the Claude Developer Platform (API).

The new feature has already been used by Anthropic's internal teams, who are now extending access to users via Claude Code and the company's API.

Fast mode combines impressive speed with Opus-level intelligence
User access

In a post on X, Anthropic announced the fast mode for Claude Opus 4.6.

The company noted that while this new feature is more expensive to run, it is intended for urgent, high-stakes projects.

"Fast mode combines impressive speed with Opus-level intelligence," the official post read. "It's available now for Claude Code users with extra usage enabled (use /fast)."

Claude Opus as a general-purpose work model
Multi-purpose use

Beyond software development, Anthropic has positioned Claude Opus 4.6 as a general-purpose work model.

The company says it can be used for tasks like financial analysis, research, and working with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

This versatility makes the AI model suitable for a wide range of professional applications beyond just coding or complex queries.