Cowork apps are desktop apps you install as part of your AI subscription that do actual work, not just chat: they run code, pull data from external sources and CSVs, analyze it, and produce reports, decks and spreadsheets. The two are Claude Cowork (Anthropic, launched January 2026) and ChatGPT Work (OpenAI, launched 9 July 2026 as its direct answer to Cowork). They can broadly do the same things.
The catch: it is not one golden prompt in, finished deck out. You still provide context, guide, iterate and validate - the buck stops with you; the app is a tool. Quick start: just install the desktop app and try it, and to learn faster, hand the app a good guide PDF and ask it to train you with test cases - they make excellent tutors.
A 23-page walkthrough of what Cowork can do (built by Cowork itself): https://www.tigzig.com/post/working-with-claude-cowork-claude-code-jun2026. Overview: https://www.tigzig.com/post/ai-is-not-just-chat-cowork-jul2026. The broader hub - Claude for Analytics (Excel, PowerPoint, Cowork; same ideas apply to ChatGPT Work): https://www.tigzig.com/claude-for-analytics.
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