01What Is Claude Cowork and How Does It Work?

Claude Cowork is an AI agent from Anthropic that works on tasks in the background, like a remote coworker. You can start a task on your computer, close the laptop, and pick up the finished work from your phone. It runs on Anthropic's own servers, so your sessions and files are tied to your account, not your machine.

In this episode, Julian Goldie explains the latest update: Claude Cowork is now available on mobile and web. Previously, it was desktop-only, and closing your laptop would kill the task. Now, tasks keep running remotely, and you can check in from any device.

This means the AI can work while you're at lunch, in a meeting, or even asleep.

02Key Features of the New Claude Cowork Update

Here are the main features of this update, as covered in the episode:

  • Mobile and web access: Start a task on desktop, continue on your phone.
  • Scheduled tasks: Set a task for early morning, and Claude works through email threads, call transcripts, and news to build a briefing document, then waits for your approval.
  • Remote execution: Tasks run on Anthropic's servers, so your laptop doesn't need to stay open.
  • Usage limits doubled: Through August 5, users get double the usage limits, giving room to test bigger tasks.
  • Rollout to Max plan first: Other plans follow in the coming weeks.
  • Merged chat and cowork: Soon, chat and cowork will be in one shared home on the web.

03How to Get Started with Claude Cowork on Mobile and Web

Getting started with Claude Cowork is straightforward. Here's how to begin, based on the episode:

  1. Check your plan: The update is rolling out to Max plan users first. If you're not on Max, wait a few weeks for access.
  2. Open the app or web version: You don't need technical skills. Just open the app on your phone or the web version.
  3. Type your task: Describe what you want done, like 'pull scattered updates into one report.'
  4. Schedule it (if needed): For recurring tasks, set a time, such as 6 a.m. for client prep.
  5. Let it run: Start the task and close your laptop. Claude works remotely, and you can check on it from your phone.
  6. Review and approve: When Claude finishes, it presents the output and waits for your yes or no.

04How to Use Claude Cowork for Everyday Tasks

In the episode, Julian shows how to use Claude Cowork for practical, non-coding tasks. One example is client preparation: schedule it for 6 a.m., and Claude digs through email threads, call transcripts, and recent news to build a briefing document and draft a follow-up email. It doesn't send anything until you approve.

Another example is for community coaching calls. Upload a call transcript and ask Claude to pull out every question members asked, group them by topic, and draft short answers for recurring questions. You can start this from your desk and check the summary at lunch on your phone.

For a small agency, you can schedule Claude to check overnight for new signup questions from potential members, draft a welcome message, and have it waiting by morning. You just wake up, approve it, and it goes out.

05Results and Data: What Anthropic's Usage Stats Show

Anthropic sampled over 1 million Cowork sessions from more than 600,000 organizations over a two-week window in May. Here are the key findings from the episode:

  • Over 90% of usage had nothing to do with writing code. It was regular work like reports, spreadsheets, and client decks.
  • The single biggest category (just over a third) was pulling scattered updates into one report, building onboarding checklists, and reconciling messy spreadsheets.
  • This matches the idea that Claude Cowork is for business process work, not just coding.

TechCrunch noted this signals Anthropic wants Cowork to feel like an actual agentic coworker, not a coding tool. OpenAI has made a similar move with Codex, which started as a coding assistant and is now used by non-developers for reports and research.

06Tips, Limits, and Mistakes to Avoid with Claude Cowork

Julian offers practical advice for using Claude Cowork effectively:

  • Start small: Don't automate everything at once. Pick one repeatable task you dread, like a Monday checklist or a summary.
  • Know the limits: Some capabilities, like accessing local files or using your browser, still require the desktop app to be open, even if the session runs remotely.
  • Be patient: Not every task is ready to run fully unsupervised yet. It's a step forward, not a finished product.
  • Use the doubled limits: Until August 5, you have extra room to test bigger tasks without hitting a wall.
  • Don't feel uneasy: The data shows the biggest use is taking over boring parts of jobs, not replacing people.

07Who Should Use Claude Cowork and Why It Matters

Claude Cowork is for anyone who runs a small business, coaching community, or one-person content operation. It removes the bottleneck of needing someone to sit at a desk to keep long tasks moving. Tasks can start on one device and finish on another, with no babysitting in between.

This update matters because it lowers the barrier to using AI agents. You don't need a desktop app or coding knowledge—just a phone and a task you're tired of doing manually. For lean operations, this means fewer hours supervising software and more time for decisions only you can make.

As Julian says, 'Your work doesn't wait for your laptop anymore.'

08What's Next for Claude Cowork?

Looking ahead, Anthropic plans to give more plans access to mobile and web over the coming weeks. Chat and cowork will also be merged into one shared home on the web, so there's no separate app or tab to remember.

The direction is clear: fewer barriers between having an idea and having Claude execute it, no matter which device you're holding. Whether you're at your desk, on your phone, or away from your laptop, Claude Cowork aims to keep working in the background. This is a real step forward, even if it's not a finished product yet.