Anthropic has launched Claude Cowork on phones and web browsers for the first time. Previously, the AI task tool only worked in a desktop app on computers. Max subscribers can access it now, with other paid users getting access in the coming weeks.

The change runs deeper than just adding a phone app. Cowork now runs on Anthropic's servers in the cloud rather than on your personal computer. This means your AI tasks can keep running in the background, even when you close your laptop or turn off your phone. You can start a task on your computer, then check on it from your phone.

On desktop, users can still choose to run tasks on their own machine if they prefer. But the full desktop experience—including direct access to files on your computer—stays with the desktop app. This option matters for people or companies that need to keep sensitive files local, such as for security or legal reasons.

Your phone now gets notifications when an AI task finishes and needs your decision. This makes mobile Claude useful for checking in on tasks rather than creating new ones. Anthropic describes mobile and web as side tools that work alongside the desktop app, not replacements for it.

Anthropics also extended promotional discounts on how much Cowork you can use each month through August 5th. They haven't said why—it could mean the tool is catching on and they want to keep momentum, or usage might still be lower than they expected.

Anthropics recently released numbers showing 1.2 million Cowork sessions from over 600,000 users in late May 2026. This is the first glimpse of how widely the tool is being used since it launched.

This shift from desktop to cloud-and-phone follows a pattern we've seen before. Other companies like Google and OpenAI started their AI agents on local computers, then moved them to cloud servers once they needed features like background execution and cross-device sync. Anthropic kept the option to run locally on desktop, likely to help larger companies that need to keep data on their own machines for security or compliance.

For companies using Cowork, the real question isn't about having a phone app. It's about what security controls and record-keeping apply when tasks run on Anthropic's servers instead of yours. These details haven't been shared yet, but they'll matter most to enterprise customers.

The broader direction is clear: AI agents that exist independently of any single device feel less like programs you launch and more like ongoing services you check in on. Whether Cowork's cloud approach works reliably for large companies with strict data rules is the key detail to watch as the rollout continues.