Users no longer need to decide how they want Claude to handle a task before starting a conversation. Anthropic has merged its Claude Cowork and Chat experiences into a single interface, allowing the AI chatbot to identify the tools and capabilities needed based on the user’s request.
Under the new setup, Claude can handle simple questions as before, while more complex requests can automatically activate capabilities previously available through Cowork. Users can describe the outcome they need instead of choosing between Chat and Cowork.
For example, Claude can analyse multiple interview notes, search the web, organise files or turn an analysis into a presentation. It can complete several steps, search online, read files, run code and bring the results together without requiring users to divide the task manually.
More complex tasks can continue running in the cloud even after a user closes their laptop or leaves the webpage. However, tasks that need access to files or applications on the computer cannot continue this way. Users can return to the conversation after a cloud-based task finishes and refine the result further.
Claude can also use connected services during these tasks. Users can connect Google Drive, Gmail, Microsoft 365 and Slack, allowing the chatbot to retrieve relevant information while working on a request.
Cowork’s advanced capabilities are also being retained. These include computer use in beta for Pro and Max plans, allowing Claude to interact with applications by clicking, typing and navigating screens. Users can also schedule recurring tasks.
Anthropic is rolling out the unified experience gradually. Accounts that still show separate “Chat” and “Cowork” options have not received the update. Once the new experience is enabled, the separate options cannot be restored.
Existing Cowork tasks, projects, connectors, skills, artifacts and files will carry over.
Some limitations remain at launch. GitHub imports and conversation branching are not supported. Incognito chats will continue using the previous experience. Search does not yet cover older Cowork tasks, while Dispatch is unavailable to new users.
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