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Claude AI Now Works After Laptop Closes
7 Jul
Summary
- AI agent continues tasks after user closes laptop.
- Limited versions available via smartphone app.
- Part of a trend towards smartphone-controlled agents.
Anthropic's AI agent, Claude Cowork, has been updated to continue performing tasks even after a user closes their laptop. Previously, active desktop sessions were required for the agent to function, leading some users to keep their laptops open. This enhancement means scheduled tasks can now run overnight. Limited versions of Cowork are also accessible via the existing Claude smartphone app and web browsers, reducing reliance on a constant desktop connection.
This development aligns with a broader industry trend towards AI agents that are always active and controllable via smartphones. Other tech companies like OpenAI with Codex and Google with Spark are also developing similar always-on agents. Anthropic's Cowork aims to bring powerful task automation to everyday users in a chatbot format, extending capabilities previously seen in developer-focused tools like Claude Code.
The enhanced Claude Cowork will initially be available as a beta to subscribers of Anthropic's Max plan, starting at $100 per month. Features are expected to become available to Pro plan members ($20 per month) later. Usage reports indicate that white-collar professionals are integrating these tools into their workflows, particularly for business process operations and content creation.
Both OpenAI and Anthropic are focusing on integrating their chatbots and agents into a unified, smartphone-centric experience. This includes features like OpenAI's Codex Remote and Anthropic's mobile accessibility for Cowork. The overarching vision in Silicon Valley is for agentic automation to become a central part of device interaction, embedded directly within widely used chatbot applications.
