- Anthropic's Cowork is like "Claude Code for the rest of your work"
- It'll work across apps with connectors to third-party services
- Available for $100/m for Max subscribers on Mac to begin with
Anthropic has unveiled its new Cowork tool, designed for Claude Max subscribers using the macOS app. This innovative tool has been likened to "Claude Code for the rest of your work."
Unlike traditional generative AI models, Cowork functions more like an AI agent, capable of planning and executing tasks step-by-step while keeping users informed of its progress.
As Anthropic describes it, "It feels much less like a back-and-forth and much more like leaving messages for a coworker," highlighting the tool's current research preview status.
'Potentially Destructive Actions'
Examples of Cowork's capabilities include generating expense spreadsheets from multiple screenshots, drafting reports from scattered notes, and organizing email inboxes.
For users who have mastered the basics, Cowork offers extensions and connectors. For instance, linking the tool to Claude in Chrome allows it to perform tasks requiring browser access.
A set of preconfigured Agent Skills has also been integrated into Cowork to enhance its document creation capabilities.
However, Anthropic has cautioned users about Cowork's "potentially destructive actions". Granting the tool access to files could lead to accidental deletions if instructed. The company also warned about the risks of prompt injections from malicious actors.
These risks are not new, but Cowork represents a more advanced tool that goes beyond simple conversations, according to Anthropic.
Future developments include expanding Cowork to Windows, with a separate waitlist for those not currently subscribed to the $100/month Max plan.