AI coding glossary
Computer Use
Also known as: claude computer use, browser use, agent computer control
In one sentence
The capability of an AI model to control a desktop or browser directly, clicking, typing, taking screenshots, to complete tasks that require GUI interaction.
Full definition
Computer use is the AI capability of operating a desktop or browser as if it were a human user, taking screenshots, clicking, typing into apps, navigating the web. Anthropic shipped Claude Computer Use in late 2024; in 2026 the pattern is integrated into Claude Code's voice mode and Antigravity 2.0's desktop app. Use cases: testing UIs end-to-end without writing Playwright scripts, completing browser-based workflows (forms, dashboards, SaaS tools without APIs), and operating tools that don't have programmatic access. Limitations in 2026: brittle to UI changes, slower than direct API calls, requires sandboxing for safety, costs more tokens than text-only work.