AI proficiency and labor gaps: Higher-paid workers use more powerful models, Anthropic finds

Anthropic released the Anthropic Economic Index on Feb 24 analyzing Claude usage in February 2026.

The report finds users with longer Claude experience elicit better responses and apply AI to more complex tasks.

Higher-paid tasks and API workflows use Opus more often, with each $10 increase in hourly pay raising Opus share on Claude.ai by 1.5 points.

Anthropic warns that gaps in AI proficiency and model access could exacerbate labor-market inequality globally.