Ask a question, or hand over a task?
Chat means ask one thing, get one answer. Cowork is different: it's an AI agent. You hand over a whole task, then go do something else.
COWORK
Describe the result, Claude makes the plan
You describe the result you want. Claude makes a plan on its own, splits it into steps, and works through them one by one.
Many steps
It reads your files, searches the web for more, builds spreadsheets with formulas, and makes slides. Many small tasks even run at the same time.
Close your laptop, the work keeps going
The work runs in the cloud, so you can close your laptop and it keeps going. You can follow along on the web, the desktop app or your phone.
You're still at the wheel
For sensitive steps like sending emails or deleting files, read the plan and approve it yourself first. You hand over the work, but you're still the one driving.
Which plan? On a schedule?
Cowork needs a paid plan, Pro and up. To have a task run on a schedule every week, use a scheduled task, as in video 31.
PART 7
Claude in the tools you use
Don't want to leave your browser or Excel? Part 7: Claude right inside the tools you already use.
This article is based on the video Cowork: hand it a task, go do something else from the Mark học AI channel. Watch the video (in Vietnamese) to see the animations.