In a groundbreaking development, Anthropic has introduced a new feature for Claude, its powerful AI assistant, enabling it to gain full control of your computer. This update takes Claude beyond simply responding to commands—it now has the capability to operate your mouse, keyboard, and even access apps, effectively transforming it into a remote personal assistant capable of completing tasks on your behalf.
The new functionality is designed to streamline productivity by allowing Claude to handle tasks like opening applications, managing spreadsheets, navigating browsers, and more—all without you needing to be present at your computer. With this feature, Anthropic envisions a future where you can rely on AI to do the work while you are away, with minimal interaction required on your part.
Alex Albert, a researcher at Anthropic, shared on X (formerly Twitter), "The future where I never have to open up my laptop to get work done is becoming real very fast." The integration with the Dispatch feature, which allows users to remotely control Claude, enhances the AI’s capabilities, making it a versatile tool for both personal and professional use.
Claude's access to your computer is seamless, initially starting with apps like Slack or Calendar. With permission, it can extend access to other applications needed for the task at hand. Once set up, you can prompt Claude remotely through its mobile or desktop app, and when you return, the AI will have completed your tasks.
Currently, this feature is available only to paid users of Claude Cowork and Claude Code, and is limited to macOS users. Both the Claude desktop and mobile apps need to be updated and paired for the full functionality to work.
This shift towards AI-powered automation, allowing AI agents like Claude to manage tasks and workflows independently, marks a significant step forward in the development of agentic AI, positioning Anthropic as a leader in this field. With competitors like Nvidia’s NemoClaw, OpenAI, and Meta developing similar AI systems, the race to bring seamless, autonomous task management to everyday users is gaining momentum.
