Exploring Anthropic’s Claude Cowork AI Agent That Makes Computer Tasks Easier

City: San Francisco: As a software reporter at WIRED, I’ve tried many AI helpers. Most of them promise a lot but often don’t work well. These programs are made to help you with chores and tasks on your computer, but the ones I used struggled to do even simple things.

Anthropic’s new AI agent, Claude Cowork, is a pleasant surprise. I tested it and found it performed pretty well, especially considering it is still in beta. It can help organize files, convert file types, and even clean up your Gmail inbox. This tool seems to show a better way to manage your computer.

Last year, developers liked another Anthropic tool called Claude Code. They loved how it worked with computer code. But not everyone on the street understands how to use coding tools.

Boris Cherny, who leads Claude Code, said they wanted to create something more friendly for everyday users. For the past two months, he wrote all his code with AI. Cowork was built using some of those same AI tools.

Released this week for beta testing, Cowork promises to be easier for more regular people to use. It is not only for tech experts but for anyone who wants to control their computer easily.

Right now, you can only use Cowork if you subscribe to Anthropic’s plan that costs $100 a month. This is a familiar approach for AI companies who let early users try new features first.

Felix Rieseberg at Anthropic said he uses Cowork to manage expense reports and file conversions. He is excited that advanced users are trying out complicated tasks with it, but he enjoys its use for simple tasks the most.

Currently, Cowork is only available on the Mac, with plans for a wider release later. An internet connection is needed for it to work. You will find the Cowork tab next to the Chat and Code tabs in the app.

However, there is a risk of security issues with AI agents like Cowork. It can be tricked into not following commands. You should avoid sharing any sensitive information with it.

Anthropic warns that since Claude can read and delete files, you should be careful with sensitive documents. It’s best to save backups and create folders without sensitive data for Claude to manage.