Anthropic has introduced a web search capability for its Claude AI assistant, intensifying competition in the rapidly evolving AI search market where tech giants are racing to redefine how users find information online. The company announced that developers can now enable Claude to access current web information through its API, allowing the AI assistant to conduct multiple progressive searches to compile comprehensive answers complete with source citations. Anthropic’s technical approach represents a significant advance in how AI systems can be deployed as information gathering tools. The system employs a sophisticated decision-making layer that determines when external information would improve response quality, generating targeted search queries rather than simply passing user questions verbatim to a search backend. This “agentic” capability — allowing Claude to conduct multiple progressive searches using earlier results to inform subsequent queries — enables a more thorough research process than traditional search. The implementation essentially mimics how a human researcher might explore a topic, starting with general queries and progressively refining them based on initial findings. Anthropic’s web search API represents more than just another feature in the AI toolkit — it signals the evolution of internet information access toward a more integrated, conversation-based model. The new capability arrives amid signs that traditional search is losing ground to AI-powered alternatives. With Safari searches declining for the first time ever; we’re witnessing early indicators of a mass consumer behavior shift. Traditional search engines optimized for advertising revenue are increasingly being bypassed in favor of conversation-based interactions that prioritize information quality over commercial interests.