10x Genomics has launched Sentira Single Cell, a cloud-based agentic analysis platform for users of its Chromium technology. Powered by Anthropic’s Claude models, the application is intended to simplify single-cell data analysis and reduce the need for researchers to write specialized bioinformatics code.
Michael Schnall-Levin, chief technology officer at 10x Genomics, described data analysis as a longstanding “last mile problem” in single-cell research. Because researchers use different experimental methods and pursue different questions, existing software cannot easily support every workflow. The company says Sentira could reduce some analyses from weeks to hours.
Sentira Single Cell runs on 10x Cloud, providing the computing resources needed to analyze Chromium data and conduct multiple analyses in parallel. Researchers interact with the platform through a chat interface, while the system generates scripts and analysis code in the background as users ask questions about their data.
The company says Sentira is intended not only to accelerate research but also to broaden access to single-cell analysis. It may help users identify findings that are not immediately apparent and allow more researchers to work directly with their data without being bioinformaticians.
The project began in early 2026 through work involving 10x Genomics and James Zou, an associate professor in Stanford University’s Department of Biomedical Data Science. Zou is associated with the concept of the “Virtual Lab,” described in a 2025 Nature paper as a laboratory made up of AI agents and algorithms.
Sentira is an umbrella for several software capabilities. Sentira Spatial was introduced several weeks before the single-cell announcement. The platform is not restricted to one large language model, although 10x Genomics reports that Anthropic’s models are currently performing well. The company is not training its own model and says researchers’ data may be used to assess the application and improve it, but will not flow back into the underlying models.
Access to Sentira is priced through 10x Cloud Credit packs. The company estimates that an agentic session uses about 12 credits, while a complete analysis through experimental conclusions requires roughly 60 credits. At launch, users receive 100 promotional credits for the first Chromium dataset uploaded to Sentira Single Cell. Credit packs range from 100 credits for $120 to 25,000 credits for $25,000, with the per-credit price decreasing for larger purchases.
10x Genomics also acknowledges that AI-generated analyses require expert review. Schnall-Levin said the tools are not perfect and should be used for initial analysis and exploration rather than allowing users to publish results without additional checking. Researchers, he said, remain responsible for understanding both the platform’s capabilities and its limitations.
The wider debate around AI-assisted single-cell analysis includes concerns about silent errors: results may look convincing even when an important mistake is present. The increasing automation of analysis could also reduce researchers’ ability to perform certain tasks independently. 10x Genomics argues that, despite this potential loss of expertise, the benefits of these technologies are likely to outweigh the disadvantages.