Anthropic has launched a beta expansion of its Claude Cowork agent to web and mobile platforms, granting Max plan subscribers the ability to manage tasks from their phones. The move marks a significant shift toward smartphone-controlled AI agents, allowing users to close their laptops while work continues.
Claude Cowork is described as a cloud-based helper that now persists on tasks even after a user shuts their laptop, according to Wired. The company notes that over 90% of Cowork usage is unrelated to software development, suggesting broader enterprise and consumer applications.
Max subscribers gain first access to the new mobile tool. Despite the expansion, the desktop version still offers the most comprehensive experience, according to ZDNET's review.
This rollout positions Anthropic's agent against competitors like OpenAI and Google, who are also pushing into persistent, cross-platform AI assistants. The mobile-first approach could accelerate adoption beyond technical users.
The counter argument: early-stage mobile agents may face reliability and security challenges on smartphone platforms, potentially limiting enterprise trust in the rollout.