Anthropic is moving its ambitious “computer use” technology into the mainstream with the release of Claude Cowork, a new preview feature designed for general users. Since 2024, the company has been refining the ability for AI to navigate computers like a human, primarily through the developer-focused Claude Code. Cowork represents the most practical evolution of this work yet, offering a way for anyone, not just programmers, to automate digital chores directly on their machines.
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The core of the experience involves granting Claude access to specific folders on your computer. Once authorized, the AI can read, edit, or create files on your behalf. This allows for a wide range of administrative automation, such as instructing Claude to reorganize a cluttered downloads folder with clearer naming conventions or transforming a batch of receipt screenshots into a structured expense spreadsheet. Beyond local files, Cowork can navigate the web via a dedicated Chrome plugin and interact with third-party applications like Canva through Anthropic’s Connectors framework.
A key benefit of this new system is its “parallel” workflow. Unlike standard chat interactions, Cowork allows users to queue up multiple tasks and provide feedback without waiting for the AI to finish the previous command. This reduces the need for constant manual context-switching. However, Anthropic is transparent about the risks: while Claude cannot see anything without explicit permission, it is capable of “potentially destructive actions,” such as deleting important data if instructions are misinterpreted. Consequently, the company urges users to provide highly specific guidance when the AI is handling sensitive files.
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Anthropic faces the challenge of succeeding where competitors like Microsoft’s Copilot have seen mixed adoption. To lower the barrier to entry, the company recently expanded Cowork access beyond its high-end “Max” tier to include all Claude Pro subscribers at $20 per month. To use the feature during this preview phase, users currently need a Mac with the official Claude macOS app installed.
