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Anthropic has made a notable leap in AI with the introduction of AI agents designed to autonomously perform complex tasks on computers.?
Unveiled October 22, the new feature, tagged “computer use,” allows Claude, Anthropic’s AI chatbot, to interpret what a user is viewing on their computer screen; and with the user’s consent, carry out actions on their behalf, such as navigating the web, clicking buttons, and typing, Anthropic said on Tuesday.
The new capability, which is currently in the public beta version, marks a major milestone for the Amazon-backed AI startup in the ongoing race between tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft to push the boundaries of AI capabilities.
What is Claude’s AI Agent?
An AI agent is a system that can perceive its environment, reason about its options, and take action while mimicking human intelligence and decision-making processes. It often utilizes machine learning algorithms to improve its performance over time.
In a statement to CNBC, Jared Kaplan, Anthropic’s Chief Science Officer, highlighted how these agents can handle multi-step operations that go beyond simple chatbot responses.
Among its Claude family of AI models, Anthropic said Claude 3.5 Sonnet will be the first model to offer “computer use” in the Beta version and cautioned that the use is only experimental at this time.
Anthropic’s announcement comes amid fierce competition in the AI sector. The company debuted Claude Enterprise, a new AI platform engineered for business customers last September, after its fellow AI startup Perplexity launched Perplexity Enterprise Pro five months earlier.
Microsoft has also ramped up its AI plans, announcing on October 21 its intention to roll out virtual employee AI agents for enterprises as well as unveiling updates to its Dynamics 365 platform.
