Thanks to a new feature announced by Anthropic on Monday, Claude users will be able to invoke interactive apps within the chatbot interface.
In keeping with Anthropic’s enterprise focus, most of the launch apps are workplace tools such as Slack, Canva, Figma, Box, and Clay, with Salesforce coming soon. In either case, the app enables a logged-in instance of the service that Claude can access, allowing the user to send Slack messages, generate graphs, or access cloud files, depending on which app is enabled.
“Analyzing data, designing content, and managing projects all work more efficiently using a dedicated visual interface,” Anthropic said in a blog post announcing the feature. “Combined with Claude’s intelligence, we can work and iterate faster than with either alone.”
This new feature is available to Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise subscribers, but not to free users. Eligible users can activate the tool in the claude.ai/ directory.
The system is similar to OpenAI’s Apps system, which was launched in October and allows for interactive third-party tools. Both app integration systems are built on Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that Anthropic introduced in 2024. Leveraging the efforts of both companies, MCP began supporting the app in November.
The new app will be especially powerful when integrated with Claude Cowork, the multipurpose agent tool that Anthropic launched last week. Built on Claude Code, Cowork allows users to assign multi-step tasks that leverage large, unlimited datasets, tasks that previously required terminal commands. Combined with new app features, Cowork could potentially be granted access to cloud files and ongoing work projects. For example, Cowork can update marketing graphics in Figma or use new data from the company’s Box instance.
The app will not be available on Cowork at launch, but the integration will be “coming soon,” Anthropic said.
Agent systems can be unpredictable, and Anthropic’s own Cowork safety documentation recommends that users closely monitor agents and not grant them unnecessary privileges.
“Use caution when granting access to sensitive information such as financial documents, credentials, and personal records,” the company recommends. “Rather than allowing broad access, consider creating a working folder just for Claude.”
