Anthropic is rolling out Claude Cowork, a new mode that keeps its AI assistant working on your task even after you close your laptop. Start a project on your desktop, check in from your phone, and pick up later in a browser or mobile app without losing progress. The beta launches in the coming weeks, initially for Max-tier subscribers.
The idea behind Claude Cowork is to shift Claude from handling isolated queries to managing whole tasks. Claude can sift through files, scan your calendar, read emails, access messengers, browse the web, and integrate with connected tools-all to deliver a final result. But the human retains control: when it’s time to send an email, approve a document, or make a decision, Claude asks for confirmation.
Anthropic highlights a practical use case: Claude preps meeting briefings by reviewing emails, call transcripts, and recent news, then drafts emails or summaries. This is a notable upgrade for phone-based AI assistants, which often handle quick questions well but falter on multi-step tasks that unfold over hours.
According to Anthropic, over 90% of Claude Cowork tasks aren’t coding-related. Most involve office work such as reports, presentations, contracts, and documents. The desktop version remains the most capable, with access to local files and a browser for richer context.
This launch fits into a broader AI assistant evolution. OpenAI is prepping ChatGPT Agent and Operator for complex internet tasks in 2025, Google is enhancing similar features in Gemini, and Microsoft integrates agent functionality into Copilot for Microsoft 365. Anthropic’s twist is continuous task continuity that flows seamlessly from desktop to mobile and back. For business users, this could be more practical than yet another chat interface with extended memory.
Anthropic is doubling Claude Cowork’s usage limits through August 5 to accelerate user feedback ahead of a wider release. The stakes in office AI assistants are rising fast: McKinsey estimates generative tools could automate up to 60-70% of routine data entry and processing tasks. The fight to become the go-to ”background employee” is just heating up.
While services like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot focus on integrating AI within specific ecosystems, Anthropic’s Claude Cowork aims for fluid task handoff across devices and platforms. It’s an approach that could redefine productivity for knowledge workers who switch contexts frequently. Keep an eye on how smoothly Claude manages task continuity and whether this cross-device persistence truly accelerates complex workflows in real-world conditions.