Anthropic has announced a major expansion of its AI agent Claude Cowork, now capable of operating on smartphones and completing tasks even after the laptop is closed. The company revealed that users can interact with Cowork via the Claude mobile app or web browser, without needing an active desktop session. This update marks a step forward in the usability of autonomous AI agents, making digital assistance always available.
No More Dependence on an Open Laptop
Until now, Claude Cowork users had to keep their computer on and the app open to run scheduled tasks. This limitation forced many to leave their laptops running for hours, even overnight. With the new update, Cowork can work in the background, gathering data from emails, Slack channels, meeting transcripts, and online sources, and generating documents like memos or email drafts, all without constant supervision. For example, a user can ask Cowork to prepare materials for a next-day business negotiation, and the agent will complete the task even after work hours, catching late-night incoming messages.
Sponsored Protocol
From Desktop to Palm of Your Hand: The Mobile Evolution
This is not the first time Claude has integrated with mobile devices. Previously, the Dispatch feature allowed sending requests from a smartphone, but it still required an active desktop. Now Cowork removes this constraint, enabling users to start and monitor complex tasks directly from their phone. This move is part of a broader Silicon Valley trend, where companies like OpenAI and Google are pushing toward always-on agents controllable via messaging. The phenomenon was catalyzed by OpenClaw, a DIY agent that went viral in early 2026, demonstrating that users are ready to entrust 24/7 tasks to AI systems.
Sponsored Protocol
Availability and Pricing Tiers
Anthropic will roll out this enhanced version of Cowork initially as a beta for subscribers to the Max plan, which costs $100 per month. Later, the features will trickle down to the Pro plan at $20 per month. There is no current plan for a release to free users, who do not have access to Claude Cowork in their tier. The company also published a usage report highlighting that white-collar workers are increasingly adopting Cowork for business operations and content creation, such as data reports and partnership proposals.
Sponsored Protocol
Meanwhile, other platforms are moving in the same direction. OpenAI launched Codex Remote in June, a feature similar to Dispatch, while Google introduced Spark, its always-on agent. For a comparison on how other services are integrating AI into mobile devices, check out the article on Nothing Ear (3a) with local storage or the deep dive on iOS 27 beta 3 and Siri AI. For more technical details on AI agents, you can refer to the Wikipedia page on intelligent agents.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/shut-those-laptops-anthropic-puts-its-claude-cowork-agent-on-your-phone
