Anthropic has launched Cowork, a new feature built into its macOS Claude desktop app that extends the functionality of its Claude Code tool to general office tasks. Cowork allows users to grant Claude access to specific folders on their computers and then provide instructions in plain language for tasks such as filling out expense reports from receipt photos, writing reports from digital notes, or reorganizing folders.

The company said that Cowork is built on the same foundations as Claude Code, Anthropic's agentic tool that has gained traction with software developers. However, Anthropic aims to make Cowork more accessible to a broader range of users, from developers to marketers, by simplifying the setup process and clarifying its potential applications. "Anthropics goal with Cowork is to make it something any knowledge workerfrom developers to marketerscould get rolling with right away," the company stated.

Claude Code, the predecessor to Cowork, allowed for similar functionalities, but its technical requirements may have limited its adoption among non-technical users. Cowork seeks to bridge this gap by offering a more intuitive interface and clearer use cases.

The launch of Cowork represents Anthropic's effort to expand the applications of its AI models beyond coding and into the realm of general knowledge work. By enabling Claude to interact directly with files and folders on a user's computer, Cowork introduces new possibilities for automating and streamlining office tasks.

The development of Cowork began internally at Anthropic, driven by the recognition that the underlying technology behind Claude Code could be applied to a wider range of tasks. The company hopes that Cowork will empower users to leverage AI to improve their productivity and efficiency in various work-related activities.