Anthropic is changing the way you use the cloud. You no longer need to sit in front of your computer just to give instructions to AI. Rather, now, you can give the cloud full access to your computer, and it does the rest. AI is no longer just an agent but your own remote employee. Here is how it works.
At X, Anthropic announced a new feature for the cloud that gives an AI assistant full control of your computer. The cloud can now not only use your mouse, keyboard, and screen, but can also access any app on your behalf. Anthropic claims this will allow Claude to do the work for you while you’re away.
This update enables the cloud to open applications, navigate the browser, fill out spreadsheets, and manage other activities typically performed on a desk.
Anthropic researcher Alex Albert claimed that this will allow you to work without opening your laptop. “The future where I never have to open my laptop to work is quickly becoming real,” he wrote on X.
How does the cloud access your computer?
To start, the cloud gets access to your connected apps like Slack or Calendar. The AI can also ask for permissions for other apps it may need to access. Anthropic’s Felix Reisenberg said it will work seamlessly with the cloud’s Dispatch feature that allows you to control AI models remotely.
This turns the cloud into a personal AI agent that can complete tasks for you – think something like OpenClaw. Anthropic says you can then remotely signal the cloud to go out and about. By the time you come back, the AI will have completed your work.
How to give computer access to the cloud?
Currently, this feature is restricted to paid Cloud Cowork and Cloud Code users as a research preview. Keep in mind that this capability is currently only available on macOS.
Both the cloud desktop and mobile apps need to be updated and paired for full functionality.
Anthropic’s move reflects a broader trend in AI development focused on automation and remote work management. This could give the company an edge over its competitors, as its cloud cowork and cloud code tools are quite popular.
As AI agents like OpenClaw are gaining popularity, Nvidia has launched its own version of OpenClaw, called NemoClaw. On the other hand, Meta and OpenAI are also working on agentic AI.
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