Web Desk: Anthropic is expanding its Claude Cowork artificial intelligence assistant to mobile devices and the web, allowing users to assign tasks, track progress and review completed work without staying connected to their computers.
The company began rolling out beta access to Cowork through the web and its Claude applications for iOS and Android, initially making the feature available to Max subscribers. The expansion comes as technology companies compete to develop AI agents capable of handling broader workplace tasks beyond traditional coding assistance.
Claude Cowork was first introduced as a desktop application in January. With the latest update, users can start a project on a computer, monitor its progress from a smartphone and return later to review the finished work.
Unlike traditional digital assistants that require constant user interaction, Cowork can continue processing assignments after a laptop is closed. Anthropic said scheduled tasks can also operate without a user’s device remaining active.
The system can contact users when it reaches a point where human approval or guidance is needed. Users can respond through their phones, provide new instructions or adjust the direction of a task while the AI continues working.
However, Anthropic said users will still need to review and approve completed work before using the final output.
For example, a user could schedule a client preparation task for early morning. Cowork could analyze email conversations, meeting transcripts and recent news, create a briefing document and prepare a follow-up email draft without sending it automatically.
Although Anthropic is extending Cowork across platforms, the company said the desktop application will remain the primary experience for complex assignments.
The desktop version can access local files and browser activity, giving it capabilities that are not fully available through mobile devices.
At the same time, web and mobile access will allow more users to try Cowork without installing the desktop application. Mobile users can access the feature through the sidebar within the Claude app.
Anthropic is also combining regular Claude conversations and Cowork into a shared interface on desktop and web, allowing users to access projects and generated files across both environments.
The broader rollout reflects Anthropic’s effort to position Cowork as an administrative and productivity assistant rather than simply a non-programmer version of Claude Code.
The tool can handle tasks involving documents, calendars, emails, messaging platforms, online research and other connected services.
The shift mirrors developments across the artificial intelligence industry. OpenAI has also expanded the use of its Codex agent beyond programming, with users increasingly applying it to create reports, spreadsheets, presentations, research materials and data analysis.
As a result, competition among AI coding agents is increasingly moving into general workplace automation, with companies attempting to integrate their systems into the everyday tools used by employees.
Anthropic said early usage data indicates that most Cowork activity involves non-coding tasks.
The company analyzed 1.2 million anonymized and aggregated Cowork sessions from more than 600,000 organizations during the final two weeks of May.
Business process operations represented the largest share of activity at 33.4%. These tasks included gathering information for reports, preparing employee onboarding materials and organizing spreadsheet data, activities commonly associated with finance, human resources and administrative teams.
Content creation and copywriting accounted for 16.4% of usage. Users applied Cowork to prepare drafts, presentations, marketing materials, social media content and business proposals.
Software development represented only 8.7% of Cowork activity.
Cowork usage by category
| Work Category | Share of Cowork Activity |
|---|---|
| Business process operations | 33.4% |
| Content creation and copywriting | 16.4% |
| Software development | 8.7% |
| Other non-development tasks | More than 41% |
Anthropic said more than 90% of Cowork usage involved activities outside software development, suggesting that AI agents are increasingly being used for routine workplace responsibilities rather than only technical tasks.
The findings highlight a broader industry trend in which companies are developing AI systems capable of completing multi-step assignments across different professional fields.
While programming remains one of the most visible applications of artificial intelligence, Anthropic said organizations are increasingly identifying practical business tasks where AI can provide measurable value.
With Cowork now available beyond desktop computers, the company is betting that AI assistants will become more integrated into daily workflows, helping employees manage administrative duties, research and communication tasks alongside traditional productivity tools.
Read more: X launches video editing tool with multilingual captions and green-screen editing
