Tool updates register · November 2026

What changed in your AI tools, and what to do about it.

Every month we read the release notes so you do not have to. We only list changes with a date, a cost or something you need to do, and link every one to its source.

This month’s issues

CopilotNo. 1

One Home, skills for everyone, and Cowork grows up

11 updates · 4 to do

GeminiNo. 1

Gems are on the way out, and skills are taking over

5 updates · 4 to do

ClaudeNo. 1

Cheaper models, Cowork in every chat, and credits to claim

7 updates · 2 to do

ChatGPTNo. 1

Custom GPTs retire, and the usage rules change

7 updates · 5 to do

Other toolsNo. 1

AI reaches the accounts, the agents and the phones

24 updates · 9 to do

Claude · September to October 2026 recap · published 5 November 2026Read the full November 2026 issue →

If you only have 2 minutes

  1. 1New 5.5 models. Opus 5.5 costs 40% less to run than Opus 5, and the smaller models are cheaper still.
  2. 2Team and Max plans now get monthly API credits. They need claiming.
  3. 3Cowork is now part of every chat on Pro and Max, so Claude can take on bigger tasks.
  4. 4Duet, an agent that works across your apps, is in research preview.

Checklist

Do now

  • On a Team or Max plan, claim your monthly API credits in billing settings
  • Check which connectors Claude can use, and start read-only

When you have time

  • Match the model to the job; not everything needs the biggest one
  • On Enterprise, look at smart reports for repeated work worth turning into skills

Every change

5 updates, in order of what matters.

AvailableEveryone using Claude

The 5.5 models: Opus, Sonnet and Haiku

22 September to 7 October

Opus 5.5 arrived on 22 September and costs 40% less to run than Opus 5. Sonnet 5.5 followed on 28 September, and Haiku 5.5, the cheapest and fastest, on 7 October.

Why it matters

The cheaper models are now good enough for a lot of everyday work, which matters if you pay for usage.

Nothing to do yet: Nothing to do; pick the model to suit the task

Source
AvailableTeam and Max plan admins

Monthly API credits on Team and Max plans

7 October 2026

Max and Team plans include monthly API credits, claimed by linking a Claude Console organisation in billing settings.

Why it matters

Credits you have already paid for, useful for testing connectors and small automations. They are not applied automatically.

Action needed: Claim them in billing settings

Source
Rolling outPro and Max plans

Cowork in every chat

From 16 September

You can hand Claude a bigger task from any conversation, and chats, projects, connectors and skills carry across.

Why it matters

Claude doing more on its own makes its setup matter more: which connectors it has, and what it is allowed to change.

Tell your team: Review connector permissions before real work

Source
PreviewPro and Max plans

Duet, a proactive agent

21 October 2026

A research preview of Duet, a new app where Claude works as a proactive agent across your connected apps.

Why it matters

An early look at agents that work while you are away. Not one to run on real business work yet.

Nothing to do yet: Nothing to do yet; we are watching it

Source
PreviewEnterprise admins

Smart reports for Enterprise

10 September 2026

Reports on how a team uses Claude, including cost, where people get stuck and repeated patterns worth packaging as shared skills.

Why it matters

A ready-made list of where to focus upskilling and which skills to build.

Tell your team: Look at the report with your team leads

Source

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