AI as a colleague, not a chatbot
The chatbot interface creates cognitive overload. You type a prompt, you get text back, you copy-paste it somewhere, and every conversation starts from zero — no files, no memory, no tools. Claude Cowork replaces that pattern. It sits in the Claude desktop app, works on your actual files, connects to your actual apps, and runs tasks on a schedule. Dispatch adds a QR-code pairing so your phone becomes a remote control while Claude works on your desktop. The workshop walked through the Task Loop — describe, review plan, execute with steering, review output — and demoed projects, scheduled tasks, and Zapier MCP as the bridge to 8,000+ apps.
Tools covered
- Claude Code — the agentic engine behind both Claude Code (for developers) and Cowork (for everyone else). Same loop, different domain.
- Claude Cowork — accessible from the Cowork tab inside the Claude desktop app (requires Pro or Max plan). Persistent projects, scheduled tasks, and connectors.
- Dispatch — scan a QR code to pair your phone with Claude on your desktop. Message from the couch, the train, or between meetings; finished work lands on your desktop.
- Zapier MCP — mcp.zapier.com. One connector, 8,000+ apps. The universal bridge when a native Cowork connector doesn't exist yet.
- Knowledge Work Plugins — open-source Cowork setups from Anthropic for sales, marketing, legal, finance, product, data.
- Financial Services Plugins — open-source Cowork setups for wealth management, equity research, private equity, investment banking.