New Claude capability in the works to merge Research and MCP integrations

Anthropic is preparing to merge two powerful capabilities in Claude under a single feature labeled “research” and “MCP,” aimed primarily at Claude Max subscribers. This move combines the current research mode, which grants Claude longer compute times for more extensive reasoning, with MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration. Only Max subscribers can access Research mode today, so this upgrade will raise the subscription’s value, potentially expanding to users on Enterprise and Team plans, where automation and deep data analysis are crucial.

The core of the leaked functionality lies in connecting Claude’s research mode with a variety of external tools through MCPs. Recently, Anthropic introduced remote MCPs, making it possible to connect Claude to almost any service. Users can now plug in platforms like Zapier, which unlocks workflows such as posting to Discord or reading from a Notion database. Many popular integrations exist as independent MCP connectors, dramatically expanding what Claude can do—think automated research, task execution, and access to internal company systems, all within one conversational agent.

For businesses, this means Claude could perform detailed research tasks across multiple connected platforms, saving time and streamlining internal processes that would otherwise demand manual effort. The potential for Claude to handle more context, execute longer operations, and leverage company-specific tools marks a clear push towards enterprise AI assistants that go beyond generic web search.

Anthropic’s roadmap also includes the awaited Artifacts Studio feature, but the timing for the public rollout of the new research+MCP combo remains uncertain. The company, known for its methodical and security-focused product strategy, is positioning Claude Max as a premium offering for those needing advanced integrations and deeper reasoning, hinting at a steady expansion into enterprise and developer markets where such capabilities can drive real productivity gains.