Claude Opus 5 debuts, halving cost and boosting performance

Anthropic's Claude Opus 5 has been launched as a significant upgrade to the Opus line, claiming to nearly match its strongest model, Fable 5, but at half the operational cost. The new model boasts enhanced performance in knowledge work and coding, with notable improvements in handling complex tasks and scientific research. It features a stronger safety profile, successfully resisting malicious activities and experiencing a reduction in deceptive behavior.

The safety mechanisms have been redesigned, leading to an 85% decrease in safety interventions compared to Fable 5. Pricing remains consistent with Opus 4.8, and there is a new "Effort" setting for users to control the model's processing approach. Despite its strong position, Opus 5 faces market pressure from competitors like Kimi K3, which offers lower pricing.