Anthropic has revealed that its AI agent, Claude Cowork, is most frequently used for routine administrative and text-based tasks, which make up about half of all usage. The analysis, based on 1.2 million anonymized sessions from May 11 to 31, 2026, shows that business process and operations account for 33.4% of sessions, while content creation and copywriting make up 16.4%. These categories together represent the majority of Cowork's use cases, according to the company.
The data highlights how AI is being used to streamline communication and organization in knowledge work. Tasks such as compiling status updates, building onboarding checklists, and creating slide decks fall into these categories. Anthropic describes these activities as 'connective in nature,' emphasizing their role in facilitating collaboration and information sharing. The company also noted that software development, while a significant use case, accounts for only 8.7% of sessions, as developers tend to use Claude Code for coding tasks.
The study acknowledges limitations, including the underrepresentation of peak usage times and the inclusion of personal sessions. Anthropic plans to update the analysis as the tool evolves, having recently expanded Cowork to web and mobile platforms. The findings align with a broader trend where AI agents are becoming operational layers for code and workflows, with examples including Claude Code and OpenAI's Codex.
Source: thedecoder
