How to Try Anthropic’s "Computer Use" AI Agent Without Any Code

Step 1: Setting Up on Replit

To make this easy, Replit has a pre-configured setup. You don’t need to code anything – just follow these steps:

1. Go to the Template Link – I’ll link this at the top. Simply click to open the template in Replit.

2. Copy the Template – Once on the template page, make a copy so you can start using it.

3. Add Your Anthropic API Key:

- Go to Secrets (found under Tools in the left menu).

- Paste your Anthropic API Key here – this enables the Computer Use AI to interact with your system.

That’s it! You’re ready to start using the AI agent.

Step 2: Running Your First Command

Now, let’s test out the agent with a practical example! I wanted it to help me explore TechBible, so I entered a command for it to visit the site and check out today’s tech news. Here’s what I did:

1. Go to the WebView in Replit.

2. Enter the Prompt – In this case, I typed: “Go to techbible.ai, scroll down to see today’s tech news, and then open my tech stack.”

3. Check the Output – The Output section shows you exactly what the AI is doing, step-by-step, so you can track its progress.

The AI navigates the website, finds the news section, and even attempts to locate specific elements like my tech stack – all without needing my direct intervention.

Step 3: Adjust and Refine

Since Computer Use may need some hints if it can't find exactly what you're looking for, you can keep refining your commands. I noticed it couldn’t find my tech stack right away, so I specified, “It’s in the homepage under [specific name].” With a little back-and-forth, you can guide it to complete tasks with impressive precision.

Step 4: Running It Locally (Optional)

If you want to run Computer Use on your machine, there’s also a GitHub repo available. Download it to try out the agent locally, but keep in mind that Replit’s WebView setup is tailored to run smoothly in Mozilla.

Anthropic’s Computer Use agent is changing how we interact with computers, making sophisticated automation available for everyone. It feels like having a scraping bot at your command, but even better – it responds in real-time. While it may be a bit slow, it’s fascinating to see it handle tasks step-by-step, especially for checking news updates or retrieving information.