Anthropic's new AI model can now deliver responses 2.5x faster
What's the story
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.
Enhanced efficiency
Fast mode available in limited research preview
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.
User access
Fast mode combines impressive speed with Opus-level intelligence
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)."
Multi-purpose use
Claude Opus as a general-purpose work model
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.
Twitter Post
Take a look at the official post
Our teams have been building with a 2.5x-faster version of Claude Opus 4.6.
— Claude (@claudeai) February 7, 2026
We’re now making it available as an early experiment via Claude Code and our API.