Anthropic is doubling down on its vision for autonomous AI agents. The company recently announced the acquisition of Vercept, a Seattle-based startup specializing in complex agentic tasks. This move follows Anthropic’s December purchase of Bun, a coding agent engine, signaling an aggressive consolidation of talent in the race to make AI interact directly with operating systems.
The Power of Remote Computer Use
Vercept gained industry attention for its flagship product, Vy, a cloud-based agent capable of navigating and operating a remote Apple MacBook. While Anthropic has already experimented with “Computer Use” capabilities within Claude, Vercept’s technology provides a more robust framework for executing intricate workflows across various software environments.
As part of the transition, Vercept will shutter its standalone services on March 25, 2026, as the team integrates into Anthropic’s core development units.
A High-Stakes Talent War
The acquisition brings a heavy-hitting research team to Anthropic, including co-founders Kiana Ehsani, Luca Weihs, and Ross Girshick. The startup’s pedigree is deeply rooted in the Allen Institute for AI and its incubator, A12.
However, the road to this deal was marked by the intense competition for AI talent. One of Vercept’s original co-founders, Matt Deitke, recently made headlines after being poached by Meta’s Superintelligence Lab for a staggering $250 million compensation package.
Mixed Reactions and Investor Friction
While CEO Kiana Ehsani described the move as an “easy choice” to accelerate their shared vision, the deal has sparked public disagreement among stakeholders. Oren Etzioni, a prominent figure at the Allen Institute and a Vercept investor, expressed disappointment on social media, characterizing the exit as “throwing in the towel” despite the startup’s significant traction and $50 million in total funding.
This sentiment led to a sharp exchange with lead investor Seth Bannon of A12, who defended the founders’ decision to join forces with a major player like Anthropic. Despite the internal friction, the acquisition secures a powerhouse of expertise for Anthropic as it seeks to turn Claude into a tool that doesn’t just talk, but acts.
