Anthropic is expanding access to Claude Cowork, its collaborative AI workspace, now available to users on Team and Enterprise plans. This move signals a shift in how the company envisions Claude’s role: from a chatbot to a shared, persistent AI infrastructure designed for ongoing team workflows.
From Chatbot to Workspace
Previously limited to Claude Max subscribers, Cowork allows teams to build and execute non-technical, or “no-code,” projects asynchronously. Unlike traditional chat interactions, Cowork preserves context, files, and tasks across multiple user sessions, reflecting how real teams operate. This feature is particularly significant for enterprises considering AI integration into production workflows, not just as a personal productivity tool.
Key Updates and New Features
Anthropic has rolled out two notable updates:
- Contextual Mentions: Users can now “@-mention” projects directly within Cowork sessions, streamlining information sharing without constant window switching.
- Vendor Onboarding: The platform now supports large-scale vendor onboarding, further extending its utility for teams.
These features reinforce Cowork’s purpose as a shared workspace, not merely a temporary chat interface. Anthropic engineers initially observed users repurposing Claude Code (designed for developers) for broader coordination and documentation tasks. Cowork formalizes this trend.
Ownership and Access Concerns Remain
Despite the expansion, Anthropic has not clarified whether Cowork projects and files are fully transferable between users within the same organization. This ambiguity raises critical questions for enterprises:
- Who owns AI-generated work created within Cowork?
- What happens to shared projects when employees leave?
- How is access managed consistently across teams?
These issues are crucial as organizations increasingly rely on AI for production workflows.
“As more teams experiment with AI-assisted workflows, tools originally designed for coding are increasingly being repurposed for coordination, documentation, and task execution.”
The Future of Collaborative AI
The evolution of Claude Cowork highlights a broader trend: AI is moving beyond individual productivity tools and becoming embedded in shared team infrastructure. While still in research preview, these updates suggest Anthropic aims to establish Claude as a central hub for ongoing work, rather than a fleeting conversation partner.
The lack of clarity regarding ownership and transferability remains a key consideration for enterprise adoption. However, the platform’s expansion signals a significant step towards integrating AI into the core of collaborative workflows.
