Anthropic has launched Cowork, a new feature built into its macOS Claude desktop app, extending the capabilities of its Claude Code tool to general office work. Cowork allows users to grant Claude access to a specific folder on their computer 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 files.

The company aims to make the functionality accessible to a broader range of users, including those without technical expertise. According to Anthropic, Cowork is built on the same foundations as Claude Code, but is designed to be more user-friendly and intuitive for knowledge workers across various fields, from developers to marketers.

Claude Code, Anthropic's agentic tool, has gained popularity among software developers and hobbyists for its ability to automate coding tasks. Cowork expands upon this functionality by enabling users to apply similar AI-driven automation to everyday office tasks. While some of these tasks were previously possible with Claude Code, Anthropic recognized that the setup process required more technical know-how, limiting its accessibility.

The launch of Cowork reflects a growing trend in the field of artificial intelligence, where AI tools are being developed to assist with a wider range of tasks beyond specialized domains. By leveraging large language models, these tools can understand and respond to natural language instructions, making them more accessible to non-technical users. This development has the potential to significantly impact the way knowledge workers perform their jobs, automating repetitive tasks and freeing up time for more strategic work.

Anthropic stated that it began working on Cowork to address the need for AI tools that can seamlessly integrate into existing workflows and improve productivity for a broader audience. The company has not yet announced specific details regarding future updates or expansion of Cowork to other platforms.