Anthropic on Monday unveiled Cowork, a new tool designed to provide a more user-friendly experience compared to Claude Code. Integrated directly into the Claude Desktop application, Cowork allows users to designate specific folders for Claude to access and modify files, with instructions provided through the standard chat interface.

This new tool essentially creates a sandboxed version of Claude Code, but simplifies the setup process for users with limited technical expertise. Cowork is currently in research preview and accessible only to Max subscribers, with a waitlist available for users on other subscription plans.

The development of Cowork was inspired by the increasing number of subscribers utilizing Claude Code for tasks beyond coding, effectively using it as a general-purpose agentic AI tool. Cowork is built on the Claude Agent SDK, leveraging the same underlying model as Claude Code.

The folder partition feature offers a straightforward method for managing file access for Cowork. By eliminating the need for command-line tools or virtual environments, the application is designed to be less intimidating for individuals without a technical background. Anthropic suggests use cases such as assembling expense reports from a folder of receipt photos.

The primary difference between Claude Code and Cowork lies in the accessibility and ease of use. Claude Code, while powerful, requires a certain level of technical proficiency to set up and utilize effectively. Cowork aims to bridge this gap by providing a more intuitive interface and streamlined workflow.

The release of Cowork highlights the growing trend of AI tools becoming more accessible to non-technical users. By simplifying the interaction with complex AI models, Anthropic is expanding the potential user base and use cases for its technology. The company has not yet announced a specific timeline for wider availability of Cowork.