Claude is an AI assistant from Anthropic. It comes in several surfaces, meaning the ways you use it, and several models, meaning the engines underneath. Here is what each one does in everyday terms.
The ways you use Claude
- Chat: the basic conversation. Ask questions, write emails, summarize documents or brainstorm, like texting a very capable assistant.
- Artifacts: when Claude builds something you can see and keep, like a document, spreadsheet, chart or working web page, it appears in a side panel you can edit and download.
- Cowork: an AI teammate for office work. Point it at a project and it works through multi-step tasks on its own, like research, reports and data, checking in as it goes. It is built for non-coders.
- Code: the same idea for software. Developers hand Claude a coding job and it writes, tests and fixes it across files.
- Skills: reusable playbooks you teach Claude once, like your brand, your process or your templates, so every result follows your standards.
- Connectors: secure links to tools you already use, like email, calendar, file storage, accounting and project boards, so Claude works with real data instead of copy and paste.
Which model to use when
Claude comes in tiers. The most powerful models handle long, complex projects, deep research and the hardest reasoning. A middle tier is the everyday workhorse for writing, summaries and normal coding, with the best balance of speed and quality. The fastest, lightest tier handles quick, high-volume, simple tasks where speed and cost matter more than depth. Model names change often, so check anthropic.com for the current lineup.
What this looks like in a real business
- Front office: draft and reply to routine email, summarize long threads and turn meeting notes into action lists.
- Finance and admin: pull numbers from invoices, build a quick spreadsheet or report, and double-check figures before they go out.
- Operations: turn a messy process into a written procedure, then save it as a skill so it runs the same way every time.
Powerful AI is only safe with the right setup
Connecting Claude to your email, files and accounting is where the value is, and it is also where the risk is. Before turning connectors on, decide which systems Claude may reach and clean up who has access to what. Use business plans with company-managed accounts, single sign-on and multi-factor authentication. Under Anthropic's commercial terms, business content is not used to train models by default.
Free download: Your Plain-English Guide to Claude
Our one-page guide covers every surface, the model tiers and real business uses, so your team has the same picture. Download the Plain-English Guide to Claude from our free resource library.
Want Claude deployed securely?
We handle the access controls, data permissions and monitoring so your team gets the productivity without exposing the business. Start with your free Cyber and AI Risk Score.
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