Anthropic’s new Claude Sonnet 5 model is a significant upgrade, offering improved performance and capabilities that close the gap to the pricier Opus model series. It can build plans, use tools, and work independently, making it a powerful tool for knowledge work tasks. In benchmarks, Sonnet 5 beats its predecessor and even edges past Opus 4.8 in some areas. The model is available now at an introductory discount, with pricing set to rise after August 2026. Why it matters: This upgrade is significant because it brings advanced AI capabilities to a more affordable model, making it more accessible to a wider range of users and applications.