diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index b1a50f2..6777d41 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -12,10 +12,14 @@ AUTH_MICROSOFT_ENTRA_ID_TENANT_ID=""
 # App
 NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL="http://localhost:3000"
 
-# Claude API (AI Chat Assistant — primary provider)
+# Claude AI (AI Chat Assistant — primary provider)
 # Used for the chat interface. Falls back to Ollama if unavailable.
 # Get your key at: https://console.anthropic.com/
 ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=""
+# Optional: override the default model (cheapest & latest = claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)
+# Pricing: $1/1M input tokens, $5/1M output tokens
+# Other options: claude-sonnet-4-6 ($3/$15), claude-opus-4-6 ($5/$25)
+# ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-haiku-4-5-20251001"
 
 # Ollama (AI — embeddings, search, chat fallback)
 # Local Ollama instance for embeddings, LLM summarization, and chat fallback.
diff --git a/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx b/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx
index 0778861..d1f8997 100644
--- a/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   SkipForward,
   Users,
 } from "lucide-react";
+import { AssignArtistPopover } from "@/components/assignments/assign-artist-popover";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card";
@@ -344,27 +345,13 @@ export default function DeliverableDetailPage() {
                   </div>
 
                   {/* Assignments */}
-                  {assignments.length > 0 && (
-                    <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
-                      <Users className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-[var(--muted-foreground)]" />
-                      <div className="flex gap-1">
-                        {assignments.map((a: any) => (
-                          <Badge
-                            key={a.id}
-                            variant="secondary"
-                            className="text-[10px]"
-                          >
-                            {a.user?.name ?? a.user?.email ?? "Unknown"}
-                            {a.role && (
-                              <span className="ml-1 opacity-60">
-                                ({a.role})
-                              </span>
-                            )}
-                          </Badge>
-                        ))}
-                      </div>
-                    </div>
-                  )}
+                  <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+                    <Users className="mt-0.5 h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-[var(--muted-foreground)]" />
+                    <AssignArtistPopover
+                      stageId={stage.id}
+                      assignments={assignments}
+                    />
+                  </div>
 
                   {/* Status transition buttons */}
                   {available.length > 0 && (
diff --git a/src/components/assignments/assign-artist-popover.tsx b/src/components/assignments/assign-artist-popover.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d887c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/assignments/assign-artist-popover.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { UserPlus, X, Check, Search } from "lucide-react";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
+import {
+  Popover,
+  PopoverContent,
+  PopoverTrigger,
+} from "@/components/ui/popover";
+import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
+import {
+  Select,
+  SelectContent,
+  SelectItem,
+  SelectTrigger,
+  SelectValue,
+} from "@/components/ui/select";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+import { useUsers, useAssignArtist, useUnassignArtist } from "@/hooks/use-users";
+import type { AssignmentRole } from "@/generated/prisma/client";
+
+const ROLE_OPTIONS: { value: AssignmentRole; label: string }[] = [
+  { value: "LEAD", label: "Lead" },
+  { value: "SUPPORT", label: "Support" },
+];
+
+interface Assignment {
+  id: string;
+  role?: string | null;
+  user: { id: string; name: string | null; email: string } | null;
+}
+
+export function AssignArtistPopover({
+  stageId,
+  assignments,
+}: {
+  stageId: string;
+  assignments: Assignment[];
+}) {
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [search, setSearch] = useState("");
+  const [selectedRole, setSelectedRole] = useState<AssignmentRole>("LEAD");
+
+  const { data: users = [] } = useUsers();
+  const assign = useAssignArtist(stageId);
+  const unassign = useUnassignArtist(stageId);
+
+  const assignedIds = new Set(assignments.map((a) => a.user?.id));
+
+  const filtered = users.filter((u) => {
+    if (assignedIds.has(u.id)) return false;
+    const q = search.toLowerCase();
+    return (
+      (u.name?.toLowerCase().includes(q) ?? false) ||
+      u.email.toLowerCase().includes(q)
+    );
+  });
+
+  const handleAssign = (userId: string) => {
+    assign.mutate(
+      { userId, role: selectedRole },
+      {
+        onSuccess: () => {
+          toast.success("Artist assigned");
+          setOpen(false);
+          setSearch("");
+        },
+        onError: (e) =>
+          toast.error("Failed to assign", {
+            description: e instanceof Error ? e.message : undefined,
+          }),
+      }
+    );
+  };
+
+  const handleUnassign = (userId: string, userName: string) => {
+    unassign.mutate(userId, {
+      onSuccess: () => toast.success(`${userName} removed`),
+      onError: (e) =>
+        toast.error("Failed to remove", {
+          description: e instanceof Error ? e.message : undefined,
+        }),
+    });
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">
+      {/* Existing assignment chips */}
+      {assignments.map((a) => {
+        const label = a.user?.name ?? a.user?.email ?? "Unknown";
+        const userId = a.user?.id;
+        return (
+          <Badge
+            key={a.id}
+            variant="secondary"
+            className="gap-1 pr-1 text-[10px]"
+          >
+            {label}
+            {a.role && (
+              <span className="opacity-50">({a.role.toLowerCase()})</span>
+            )}
+            {userId && (
+              <button
+                className="ml-0.5 rounded-sm opacity-60 ring-offset-background transition-opacity hover:opacity-100 focus:outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-ring"
+                onClick={() => handleUnassign(userId, label)}
+                disabled={unassign.isPending}
+                aria-label={`Remove ${label}`}
+              >
+                <X className="h-2.5 w-2.5" />
+              </button>
+            )}
+          </Badge>
+        );
+      })}
+
+      {/* Add button + popover */}
+      <Popover open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen}>
+        <PopoverTrigger asChild>
+          <Button
+            size="sm"
+            variant="ghost"
+            className="h-6 gap-1 px-1.5 text-[10px] text-[var(--muted-foreground)] hover:text-[var(--foreground)]"
+          >
+            <UserPlus className="h-3 w-3" />
+            Assign
+          </Button>
+        </PopoverTrigger>
+        <PopoverContent className="w-72 p-3" align="start">
+          <p className="mb-2 text-xs font-semibold">Assign Artist</p>
+
+          {/* Role selector */}
+          <div className="mb-2">
+            <Select
+              value={selectedRole}
+              onValueChange={(v) => setSelectedRole(v as AssignmentRole)}
+            >
+              <SelectTrigger className="h-7 text-xs">
+                <SelectValue />
+              </SelectTrigger>
+              <SelectContent>
+                {ROLE_OPTIONS.map((r) => (
+                  <SelectItem key={r.value} value={r.value} className="text-xs">
+                    {r.label}
+                  </SelectItem>
+                ))}
+              </SelectContent>
+            </Select>
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Search */}
+          <div className="relative mb-2">
+            <Search className="absolute left-2 top-1.5 h-3.5 w-3.5 text-[var(--muted-foreground)]" />
+            <Input
+              className="h-7 pl-6 text-xs"
+              placeholder="Search users…"
+              value={search}
+              onChange={(e) => setSearch(e.target.value)}
+              autoFocus
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          {/* User list */}
+          <div className="max-h-48 overflow-y-auto">
+            {filtered.length === 0 ? (
+              <p className="py-4 text-center text-xs text-[var(--muted-foreground)]">
+                {users.length === 0 ? "No users found" : "All users assigned"}
+              </p>
+            ) : (
+              filtered.map((u) => (
+                <button
+                  key={u.id}
+                  className="flex w-full items-center justify-between rounded px-2 py-1.5 text-left text-xs hover:bg-[var(--muted)] disabled:opacity-50"
+                  disabled={assign.isPending}
+                  onClick={() => handleAssign(u.id)}
+                >
+                  <div>
+                    <p className="font-medium">{u.name ?? u.email}</p>
+                    {u.name && (
+                      <p className="text-[10px] text-[var(--muted-foreground)]">
+                        {u.email}
+                      </p>
+                    )}
+                  </div>
+                  <Check className="h-3 w-3 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100" />
+                </button>
+              ))
+            )}
+          </div>
+        </PopoverContent>
+      </Popover>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-users.ts b/src/hooks/use-users.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0bf43e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/use-users.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import { useQuery, useMutation, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import type { AssignmentRole } from "@/generated/prisma/client";
+
+export function useUsers() {
+  return useQuery({
+    queryKey: ["users"],
+    queryFn: async () => {
+      const res = await fetch("/api/users");
+      if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Failed to fetch users");
+      return res.json() as Promise<
+        { id: string; name: string | null; email: string; role: string }[]
+      >;
+    },
+    staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
+  });
+}
+
+export function useAssignArtist(stageId: string) {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  return useMutation({
+    mutationFn: async ({
+      userId,
+      role = "LEAD",
+    }: {
+      userId: string;
+      role?: AssignmentRole;
+    }) => {
+      const res = await fetch(`/api/stages/${stageId}/assignments`, {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ userId, role }),
+      });
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        const body = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+        throw new Error(body.error || "Failed to assign artist");
+      }
+      return res.json();
+    },
+    onSuccess: () => {
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["deliverable"] });
+    },
+  });
+}
+
+export function useUnassignArtist(stageId: string) {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  return useMutation({
+    mutationFn: async (userId: string) => {
+      const res = await fetch(`/api/stages/${stageId}/assignments`, {
+        method: "DELETE",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ userId }),
+      });
+      if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Failed to remove assignment");
+      return res.json();
+    },
+    onSuccess: () => {
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["deliverable"] });
+    },
+  });
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/chat/provider.ts b/src/lib/chat/provider.ts
index ca257aa..e0ed6cc 100644
--- a/src/lib/chat/provider.ts
+++ b/src/lib/chat/provider.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 /**
  * Chat Provider — abstracts Claude API vs Ollama fallback.
- * Default: Claude API. Falls back to Ollama if Claude is unreachable.
+ * Default: Claude API (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 — latest & cheapest model).
+ * Falls back to Ollama if Claude is unreachable.
+ *
+ * Model selection: set ANTHROPIC_MODEL in .env to override.
+ * Pricing (Haiku 4.5): $1 / 1M input tokens, $5 / 1M output tokens.
  */
 
 import { TOOL_DEFINITIONS } from "./tool-definitions";
@@ -54,7 +58,7 @@ export async function checkClaudeHealth(): Promise<boolean> {
         "content-type": "application/json",
       },
       body: JSON.stringify({
-        model: "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
+        model: process.env.ANTHROPIC_MODEL || "claude-haiku-4-5-20251001",
         max_tokens: 1,
         messages: [{ role: "user", content: "hi" }],
       }),
@@ -119,7 +123,7 @@ async function chatWithClaude(
       "content-type": "application/json",
     },
     body: JSON.stringify({
-      model: "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
+      model: process.env.ANTHROPIC_MODEL || "claude-haiku-4-5-20251001",
       max_tokens: 4096,
       system: SYSTEM_PROMPT,
       messages: claudeMessages,