October 1, 2025

analysis  
Anthropic Claude 4.5 Outperforms OpenAI, Google

Anthropic is pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities with its new Claude Sonnet 4.5 model, which can reportedly code for up to 30 hours continuously. This advanced model demonstrates significant improvements in coding, computer use, and reasoning, outperforming competitors like OpenAI's GPT-5 Codex and Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro in benchmarks. Anthropic is targeting businesses with Sonnet 4.5, aiming to enhance practical AI applications in sectors such as cybersecurity and financial services, and has also introduced developer tools like Claude Code and the Claude Agent platform. Meanwhile, the broader AI landscape sees continued innovation and strategic moves. In cloud security, Check Point and Wiz are combining their expertise with AI to offer integrated, real-time threat prevention and visibility. In the U.S., companies like IBM, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and NVIDIA are prominent in AI integration and hardware, with others like H2O.ai, Palantir, and Scale AI contributing specialized services. DataRobot's CEO suggests 'synthetic personas,' AI-powered customer representations, can give sales teams a competitive edge by providing deeper, evolving insights. However, the rise of AI also fuels more sophisticated phishing attacks, with a recent survey indicating Gen Z workers are particularly susceptible and many employees lack basic cybersecurity training. In legal education, the University of Michigan and the University of Miami are experimenting with AI use in admissions essays to assess applicant competency. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is also involved in a case concerning AI's role in legal research, arguing for fair use in training AI models on legal texts. Globally, a former Silicon Valley executive has launched Colega AI in Tokyo, targeting Japan's small business market. A study by Boston Consulting Group highlights a widening gap between companies effectively using AI for significant value and those struggling, with leading firms reinvesting in AI and workforce upskilling.

Key Takeaways

  • Anthropic's new Claude Sonnet 4.5 model can code independently for up to 30 hours, showing enhanced reasoning and computer use capabilities.
  • Sonnet 4.5 outperforms competitors like OpenAI's GPT-5 Codex and Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro in key benchmarks.
  • Anthropic is focusing on enterprise applications for Sonnet 4.5, particularly in cybersecurity and financial services.
  • Check Point and Wiz are integrating their cloud security solutions with AI for enhanced threat prevention and visibility.
  • A survey indicates AI is making phishing attacks more sophisticated and harder to detect, with Gen Z workers being the most susceptible.
  • Two U.S. law schools, University of Michigan and University of Miami, are incorporating AI use into their admissions essay requirements.
  • The Electronic Frontier Foundation is defending the use of AI in legal research in a copyright infringement case involving Thomson Reuters and ROSS Intelligence.
  • A Boston Consulting Group study shows only 5% of companies achieve significant value from AI at scale, while leaders reinvest heavily in AI and workforce upskilling.
  • Former Silicon Valley executive Eric Fung has launched Colega AI in Tokyo, targeting Japan's market of over 3 million small businesses.
  • AI-powered 'synthetic personas' can offer sales teams deeper customer insights by combining actual data with AI learning capabilities.

Anthropic's new AI model Sonnet 4.5 shows impressive 30-hour focus

Anthropic has launched its latest AI model, Claude Sonnet 4.5, which they claim is their most capable yet. This new model demonstrated the ability to maintain focus on complex, multi-step tasks for over 30 hours, a significant improvement over previous models that struggled with coherence over long periods. Sonnet 4.5 also boasts enhanced coding, computer use, and reasoning capabilities, outperforming competitors like OpenAI's GPT-5 Codex and Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro in key benchmarks. Anthropic also introduced Claude Code, a command-line AI agent, and the Claude Agent platform for developers. The new model is available now through the Claude API at the same price as its predecessor.

Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 4.5 AI codes for 30 hours straight

Anthropic has released its new AI model, Claude Sonnet 4.5, designed for extended and effective coding. The company states this model can code independently for up to 30 hours, a major leap from previous versions. Sonnet 4.5 also improves at following instructions and using a user's computer for tasks. Anthropic's co-founder, Jared Kaplan, highlighted that Sonnet 4.5 is stronger in nearly all aspects compared to their high-end Opus model. The company also noted the model's strong performance in cybersecurity and financial services, addressing growing concerns about AI's business value.

Anthropic targets businesses with new AI model Claude Sonnet 4.5

Anthropic is focusing on enterprise growth with its new AI model, Claude Sonnet 4.5, which can reportedly code for up to 30 hours without stopping. According to Anthropic's Chief Product Officer Mike Krieger, this tool is designed to assist both developers and office workers as businesses increasingly adopt AI. The company aims to enhance AI's practical business applications, particularly in sectors like cybersecurity and financial services. This release comes as Anthropic seeks to stay competitive in the AI market, with Krieger emphasizing the need for AI model improvements and better workflow adaptation by users.

Check Point and Wiz unite cloud security with AI

Check Point Software Technologies and Wiz have launched a new integrated cloud security solution. This partnership combines Check Point's network security with Wiz's Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP). The goal is to improve cloud security for businesses by offering real-time visibility and AI-powered defenses. The solution is designed to handle complex cloud environments by focusing on preventing threats, providing clear visibility, and reducing false alarms. This collaboration represents a significant step in cloud security, using AI to automate risk assessment and fixes.

Check Point and Wiz partner for AI-driven cloud security

Check Point Software Technologies and Wiz have announced the global release of their combined cloud security solution. This integration merges Check Point's cloud network security with Wiz's Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP). The partnership aims to boost enterprise cloud security through real-time visibility and AI-driven prevention capabilities. It addresses the growing complexity of cloud environments by prioritizing proactive threat prevention, enhanced visibility, and minimizing false positives. This collaboration marks a key advancement in securing digital spaces by automating risk assessment and remediation.

Former Silicon Valley exec starts AI company in Tokyo

Eric Fung, formerly of Silicon Valley, has moved to Tokyo, Japan, to launch his new AI company, Colega AI. He sought a fresh start due to the high cost of living and diminished 'magic' in the Bay Area. Fung identified Japan's market of over 3 million small businesses as an ideal testing ground for his AI solutions. His company is US-registered, but its team is remote-first, with most members based in Asia. Fung finds Tokyo safer and cleaner than California, though he navigates cultural and language barriers with a local partner. He notes that while office culture can involve long hours, his company aims for a more flexible startup environment.

Top US AI integration companies drive innovation

The United States is home to leading companies specializing in Artificial Intelligence integration, driving digital transformation across various sectors. Appinventiv offers enterprise-grade AI solutions for faster scaling and smarter operations, focusing on AI platforms, predictive analytics, and automation. IBM's Watson platform provides tools for natural language processing and machine learning to enhance business decision-making. Google Cloud AI and Microsoft Azure AI offer scalable services for building and deploying AI solutions, while AWS provides a broad range of AI and machine learning services. NVIDIA leads in AI computing hardware and software, H2O.ai offers an open-source AI platform, and Palantir Technologies specializes in big data analytics. Scale AI provides data labeling for AI training, and Iflexion delivers custom software development with AI integration expertise.

AI synthetic personas offer sales teams a competitive edge

Mark Osborne, CEO of DataRobot, advocates for 'synthetic personas,' which are dynamic, AI-powered representations of customers. These personas combine actual customer data from interviews, emails, and publications with insights from competitor reviews and social media, as well as third-party demographic data. Unlike traditional marketing personas, synthetic personas are capable of learning and evolving as companies interact with them. This AI advancement, powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), allows sales teams to gain deeper insights into potential customers, moving beyond guesswork to more informed sales strategies and interactions. LLMs capture context and nuance, enabling natural communication and sophisticated analysis for strategic thinking.

AI fuels sophisticated phishing attacks, survey reveals

A new survey by Yubico indicates that a significant portion of the workforce struggles to identify AI-generated phishing attacks. Gen Z workers (1997-2012) are reported as the most susceptible, with 62% admitting to engaging with social engineering attacks in the past year. The survey found that 70% believe AI has made phishing attempts more successful and 78% have seen them become more sophisticated. Alarmingly, 54% of respondents could not confidently identify a phishing email as AI-written, or were unsure. Furthermore, 40% of workers reported never receiving cybersecurity training, and only 48% have multi-factor authentication deployed, leaving many organizations vulnerable.

US law schools require AI use for admissions essays

Two U.S. law schools, the University of Michigan and the University of Miami, are now incorporating optional essay questions that require applicants to use generative AI tools. The University of Miami's essay asks applicants to create a detailed prompt for an AI like ChatGPT to analyze law school options, followed by refinement prompts. The University of Michigan's optional essay asks applicants to reflect on their current and future use of AI tools. Both schools aim to gauge applicants' AI competency and understand their motivations for pursuing law, reflecting the growing integration of AI in legal education and practice. While Michigan Law has seen low participation, Miami Law reports higher engagement with its AI essay.

EFF defends AI legal research in Thomson Reuters case

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is involved in the Thomson Reuters v. ROSS Intelligence case, advocating for beneficial uses of AI, including legal research. ROSS Intelligence developed an AI tool to find legal opinions using natural language queries, training its system on Thomson Reuters' 'West headnotes.' Thomson Reuters sued for copyright infringement, and after initial rulings favoring ROSS, the court ultimately found that using the headnotes to train the AI infringed copyright and was not fair use. The EFF, along with other organizations, argued that West headnotes are factual and not copyrightable, or that their use constituted fair use. This case is significant as it addresses copyright issues related to training AI models and public access to legal texts.

AI investment value gap widens between leaders and laggards

A Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study reveals a growing divide between companies successfully leveraging AI and those struggling to see value from their investments. Only five percent of companies achieve significant value from AI at scale, while 60 percent report minimal gains despite substantial spending. Top-performing companies, termed 'future-built,' are reinventing their business operations with AI, achieving higher revenue growth and profit margins. They reinvest gains into AI, planning to spend significantly more on IT and AI in 2025. In contrast, lagging companies often lack leadership engagement and clear AI strategies, creating a cycle of falling behind. The report highlights agentic AI and workforce upskilling as key differentiators for leading firms.

Sources

AI model Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 AI coding AI reasoning AI capabilities AI benchmarks AI agent AI platform Cloud security Check Point Wiz AI-driven security AI integration AI company AI solutions AI investment AI strategy AI adoption AI ethics AI legal research Copyright Phishing attacks Cybersecurity training Multi-factor authentication Generative AI AI admissions Legal education Synthetic personas Customer data Sales teams LLMs AI workforce AI upskilling Business operations Digital transformation Predictive analytics Automation Natural language processing Machine learning AI computing hardware AI software Data labeling Big data analytics