Anthropic has announced significant upgrades to its AI assistant Claude’s Pro subscription plan, introducing the long-awaited "Research Mode" and remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration features. These two functionalities were previously available only to Max, Team, and Enterprise-level plan users but are now accessible to a broader range of Pro users, marking another major step forward in functionality expansion and user experience for Claude.
Research Mode: Compressing hours of research into minutes
Claude’s “Research Mode” is a powerful AI feature that allows the model to autonomously search hundreds of sources and generate comprehensive reports with accurate citations. Similar to deep research tools from OpenAI and Google, this feature can not only retrieve web information but also access the user's Google Workspace and connected applications, ensuring that the generated content is highly personalized and tailored to specific needs.
It is reported that Research Mode can reduce complex research tasks that originally took several hours to just minutes, with processing times typically ranging from 5 to 45 minutes. The availability of this feature enables Claude Pro users to complete academic research, market analysis, or project planning tasks more efficiently. For instance, users can quickly generate competitive analysis reports with the latest market data or organize reference materials for academic papers through Claude.
Remote MCP Integration: Connecting your digital ecosystem
What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP), launched by Anthropic in November 2024, is an open standard designed to enable AI assistants to seamlessly connect with external data systems and tools. In May 2025, Anthropic further introduced remote MCP support, allowing Claude to interact with various platforms via cloud servers, such as Atlassian’s Jira and Confluence, Zapier automation platforms, and Cloudflare’s performance and security tools.
This upgrade extends the remote MCP integration feature to Claude Pro users, meaning regular subscribers can also interact with their everyday tools simply by configuring them. For example, users can directly create Jira tasks, generate Confluence pages, or implement cross-application automated workflows through Zapier. This seamless connection significantly reduces context switching and enhances productivity.
Real-world Applications: From Personal Productivity to Enterprise Automation
Individual Users: For independent developers or freelancers, Claude Pro’s MCP integration function provides a low-cost, high-efficiency solution. For instance, connecting Zapier allows Claude to automatically extract sales data from HubSpot or prepare meeting briefs based on calendar entries.
Enterprise Scenarios: In enterprise environments, Claude can access internal company data, such as project timelines or internal documents, through MCP integration, aiding team collaboration. For example, Atlassian’s MCP server allows Claude to manage Jira tasks or update Confluence documents directly, simplifying project management processes.
In addition, Anthropic plans to introduce more partners in the future, such as Stripe and GitLab, further expanding Claude’s ecosystem. Existing users have reported that this feature significantly improves efficiency, especially in scenarios requiring cross-platform collaboration.
Technical Details and User-Friendliness
Claude Pro users can enable the integration feature by adding the URL of a remote MCP server through Claude.ai’s settings interface. Supported services include Asana, Intercom, Square, and others. Developers can also create custom servers via the MCP standard to meet specific needs. The combination of Research Mode and MCP allows Claude to generate more comprehensive reports by leveraging both web data and internal tools during searches.
Pricing and Availability: Research Mode and remote MCP integration are now available to Claude Pro users (at $20 per month) without upgrading to higher-tier Max or Team plans. This makes Claude Pro more attractive in terms of price and functionality compared to competitors like ChatGPT Plus.
Future Outlook: Comprehensive Evolution of AI Assistants
This upgrade by Anthropic not only enhances the practicality of Claude but also marks the transition of AI assistants from simple conversational tools to comprehensive digital work partners. By combining Research Mode and MCP integration, Claude can handle complex tasks more intelligently, meeting diverse needs ranging from individual users to enterprise teams.
AIbase believes that as the MCP ecosystem continues to expand and more third-party services are added, Claude is likely to occupy a more important position in the AI assistant market. In the future, Anthropic may further optimize the processing speed of Research Mode or introduce more advanced enterprise-level features, such as Artifacts Studio, to meet developer needs.
