Anthropic made a version of its coding AI for regular people (www.engadget.com)

Anthropic has launched a new feature called Claude Cowork, expanding the capabilities of its coding AI, Claude Code, to everyday users. This tool allows individuals, not just developers, to interact with Claude by granting it access to specific folders on their computers. Users can instruct Claude to perform tasks like organizing files or converting screenshots into spreadsheets. With functionalities that also include navigation through websites and integration with third-party applications, Cowork aims to simplify the user experience by allowing task queuing and reducing the need for continuous context input. This release is significant for the AI/ML community as it democratizes access to advanced AI tools, enabling a broader audience to leverage AI's capabilities for everyday tasks. Although similar tools like Microsoft's Copilot have seen limited adoption, Claude's popularity among programmers may position it more favorably. However, Anthropic cautions users about the risks associated with granting AI access to their systems, emphasizing the importance of clear instructions to prevent undesirable actions. Currently, Claude Cowork is available in preview for Claude Max subscribers on Mac, with a waitlist for others.