Dispatch Review

Dispatch is the task assignment feature within Anthropic's Cowork platform that lets you send Claude jobs from your phone or desktop and have it execute them using your desktop environment. Think of it as a remote control for an AI assistant: you type a task description on your phone while commuting, and Claude works through it on your computer back at the office or home. The concept addresses a real friction point in AI productivity tools. Most AI assistants require you to be sitting at your computer, actively managing a conversation. Dispatch breaks that dependency by letting you fire off a task asynchronously and collect the results later. Claude uses your desktop context, files, and connected tools to complete the work without your real-time supervision. Dispatch is currently available as a research preview within Cowork, rolling out to users on supported Claude paid plans. It is not a standalone product but rather a specific capability within the broader Cowork experience.

Mobile-to-desktop task assignment is the defining feature. Open the Claude app on your phone, describe what you need done, and Dispatch routes the task to your desktop environment where Claude has access to your files and tools. The task runs in the background, and you receive a notification when it completes. Asynchronous execution means you do not need to watch Claude work. Assign a task before a meeting, during a commute, or at the end of the day, and check the results when convenient. This is different from chat-based AI where you typically wait for each response before providing the next input. Desktop environment access gives Dispatch practical power. Claude can read and write files, use connected integrations, and perform multi-step operations using your desktop setup. Without this context, mobile-dispatched tasks would be limited to what Claude can do with only the information in your message. Task status tracking lets you monitor progress and see when tasks complete. You can check in from your phone to see whether Claude is still working, has finished, or has encountered an issue that needs your input.

The morning commute workflow is a compelling example. While on the train, you dispatch tasks for the day: process yesterday's meeting notes into action items, draft a report outline based on documents in your project folder, organize the files from last week's project into the archive structure. By the time you reach your desk, the groundwork is done. Travel and mobile-first scenarios benefit significantly. When you are away from your computer but think of something that needs doing, Dispatch lets you capture and execute in one step rather than just adding to a to-do list. The task gets done rather than waiting for you to return to your desk. Delegating tedious preparation work is where the async model shines. Research tasks, data compilation, document formatting, and file organization are all reasonable candidates. These are tasks where the value comes from the output, not from your involvement in the process. The limitations are important to understand. Tasks that require real-time judgment calls, access to tools Claude cannot reach, or sensitive operations that need human oversight are not good candidates for Dispatch. The async model works best for well-defined tasks with clear completion criteria.

Mobile-heavy professionals who frequently think of tasks while away from their computers will find the most immediate value. Consultants, executives, and anyone whose work involves both office and field time can use Dispatch to keep productivity flowing regardless of location. Existing Cowork users who want to extend their AI workflow to mobile get a natural expansion of capability. If you already delegate tasks to Claude through Cowork at your desk, Dispatch adds the ability to do the same from anywhere. People who are comfortable with AI agents having access to their desktop environment and working unsupervised are the right audience. If the idea of Claude reading your files and performing actions without you watching makes you uncomfortable, Dispatch amplifies that discomfort rather than alleviating it. Users who need real-time collaboration with AI, those who prefer hands-on control over every step, and anyone not already using Cowork should look at other options. Dispatch is an extension of Cowork, not a replacement for direct AI interaction.

Dispatch does not have its own pricing. It is a feature within Cowork, which is included with supported Claude paid plans. The Pro plan at $20/month and Max plans at $100/month and $200/month provide access to the broader Cowork feature set including Dispatch. The cost question is whether the combination of Cowork and Dispatch justifies the Claude plan price for your usage pattern. If you already pay for Claude Pro for the chat capabilities, Dispatch adds value at no extra cost. If you would be subscribing primarily for Dispatch, evaluate whether the async task workflow fits your needs well enough to justify the subscription. As with all research preview features, access levels and availability may change as Anthropic refines the product. Current pricing and access should be confirmed before making decisions.

Compared to simply sending yourself a reminder to do something later, Dispatch actually does the thing. This sounds obvious but it is the fundamental difference: traditional task capture (to-do apps, notes, reminders) records intent. Dispatch executes it. For tasks within Claude's capabilities, this eliminates the gap between deciding and doing. Compared to other AI assistant mobile apps, most offer real-time chat from your phone but do not connect to your desktop environment for execution. ChatGPT and Gemini on mobile are self-contained. Dispatch bridges mobile intent with desktop capability, which is a genuinely different model. Compared to workflow automation tools like Zapier or Make, Dispatch handles unstructured natural language tasks rather than predefined trigger-action sequences. You do not need to build a workflow in advance. The tradeoff is that automation tools are more reliable and predictable for recurring, well-defined processes, while Dispatch handles novel, one-off tasks better.

Dispatch is a small but meaningful feature that makes the Cowork concept significantly more useful. The ability to assign tasks from anywhere and have them executed using your desktop environment fills a gap that most AI productivity tools ignore. It transforms Claude from a tool you sit in front of into an assistant you delegate to. The practical value depends heavily on your workflow. If you frequently move between mobile and desktop contexts and regularly have tasks that Claude can handle autonomously, Dispatch saves real time. If most of your AI usage is interactive chat at your desk, it adds little. As a research preview feature, expect limitations. Not every task will execute successfully, the desktop environment needs to be running and connected, and complex tasks may stall or require your intervention. The concept is strong and the execution is promising, but it is not yet something to build a critical workflow around. Try it for low-stakes tasks first and expand usage as you build confidence in the results.