Why Anthropic Thinks AI Should Have Its Own Computer — Felix Rieseberg of Claude Cowork & Claude Code Desktop

The Latent Space Podcast records its first episode in the new Kernel studio. Felix Rieseberg from Anthropic introduces Cowork, a user-friendly version of Cloud Code, designed for non-technical users. Cowork runs Claude Code in a virtual machine with added safety and convenience. While initially pitched as a simpler version, it has become a powerful tool integrating with Cloud and Chrome. Felix shares an anecdote about a designer using Cowork to animate an emoji, highlighting its unexpected applications. He expresses interest in seeing how Latent Space uses Cowork.

Alessio inquires about the design process behind Cowork, which was built in just 10 days. Felix explains that Anthropic emphasizes rapid prototyping and demo-first development. Instead of extensive planning, they build multiple candidates quickly and select the best ones. A key decision was valuing execution on the local computer rather than in the cloud, citing the flexibility of downloading and processing files locally. Felix notes that the holistic platform is useful, and the team did not rebuild Cloud Code, but built on top of it.

Felix discusses the trade-offs between running tasks locally versus in the cloud, raising concerns about cloning an entire computer into the cloud and the potential privacy implications. He suggests that the world isn't ready for such a move. Swyx shares how he uses Claude Cowork to automate the laborious process of uploading recordings to YouTube, including downloading from Zoom, compacting videos, and extracting information from video frames. He also uses it to create skills, which are then reused.

Swyx demonstrates how he uses Claude Cowork to automate tasks, such as managing his calendar and cleaning up his desktop. Felix notes that skills are easy to create and can be hyper-personalized. Swyx explains how he splits and orchestrates skills to improve automation. He also uses Claude Cowork to programmatically upload to YouTube, leveraging its Chrome integration. Felix emphasizes the importance of meeting users where they are and integrating with their existing workflows rather than replacing applications.

Felix notes that Anthropic believes the impact of AI on the market will be sizable and that society needs to discuss it more. Swyx suggests that frequent releases help people adjust over time. Felix wonders when full AI takeoff will occur, leading to a self-reinforcing loop. He believes that even if the exact timing is uncertain, it's important to wrestle with the implications.

Swyx shares that Claude Cowork is organizing his files, and Felix encourages him to let Claude figure out the best approach. The conversation touches on using Claude for finance and tax season. Felix mentions that Anthropic has dedicated teams focused on verticals and enterprise applications. Swyx emphasizes the importance of vision for everything and praises Anthropic for pioneering computer use. Felix discusses the relationship between the user and the computer, highlighting the challenges of balancing power and control.

Alessio suggests using a virtual box app to run Claude, allowing users to jump in and out of the environment. Felix shares his experience with the Windows 95 project, highlighting the power of JavaScript and WASM. He discusses the technical details of the virtual machine used in Cowork, including the Windows host compute system. Felix emphasizes the importance of sandboxing to separate Claude's computer from the user's computer, improving security and manageability.