What is Computer Use (AI)?

What Is Computer Use (AI)?

Computer Use is a breakthrough AI capability where an agent can see and interact with a computer screen the same way a human does — moving the mouse cursor, clicking buttons, scrolling through pages, typing into fields, and navigating between applications. Instead of relying on custom-built API integrations to connect with each piece of software, a computer-use AI agent simply operates the existing user interface.

Think of it as hiring a virtual employee who can sit at a computer and use any software your company already has, without needing IT to build special connections or modify existing systems. The AI agent takes screenshots of the screen, understands what it sees, decides what action to take next, and executes that action — repeating this loop until the task is complete.

How Computer Use Works

The technology behind computer use combines several AI capabilities:

• Visual understanding — The agent captures screenshots of the computer screen and uses vision AI to identify interface elements like buttons, text fields, menus, and icons
• Spatial reasoning — The agent determines where specific elements are located on the screen so it can position the cursor accurately
• Task planning — Given a goal (such as "fill out this expense report"), the agent breaks it down into a sequence of clicks, keystrokes, and navigation steps
• Error recovery — If something unexpected appears on screen — a pop-up dialog, a loading spinner, or an error message — the agent recognizes it and adjusts its approach
• Action execution — The agent sends mouse movements, clicks, and keyboard inputs to the computer, just as a human would through a physical mouse and keyboard

The key innovation is that the AI does not need the software to expose an API or have any special integration layer. If a human can use the software by looking at the screen and clicking, the AI agent can too.

Why Computer Use Matters for Business

Automating the Previously Unautomatable

Many business processes involve legacy software, internal tools, or third-party applications that have no API and no automation support. Before computer use, the only option for these tasks was manual human operation. Computer-use agents can automate workflows across these systems without any modifications to the underlying software.

Reducing Integration Costs

Traditional automation requires building and maintaining API integrations with each application in a workflow. For businesses in Southeast Asia running a patchwork of local, regional, and global software — from government portals to banking platforms to logistics systems — integration costs add up quickly. Computer-use agents bypass this entirely by operating through the existing user interface.

Bridging Old and New Systems

Many ASEAN businesses operate a mix of modern cloud applications and older legacy systems. Computer use allows AI agents to work across both environments seamlessly, connecting workflows that previously required manual handoffs between systems.

Key Examples and Use Cases

Anthropic Computer Use

Anthropic introduced computer use capabilities with their Claude model, allowing the AI to view and interact with desktop environments. This enables tasks like filling out forms, navigating web applications, moving data between systems, and operating enterprise software — all through the visual interface.

OpenAI Operator

OpenAI's Operator is an AI agent designed to perform tasks on the web by controlling a browser. It can book travel, order groceries, fill out forms, and navigate complex web applications on behalf of the user.

Business Applications Across ASEAN

• Government compliance — Automating form submissions on government portals in Indonesia, Thailand, or Vietnam that lack API access
• Financial operations — Moving data between banking portals, accounting software, and internal systems that do not integrate natively
• HR and payroll — Operating legacy HR systems to process employee records, benefits, and payroll across multiple country platforms
• E-commerce operations — Managing product listings across multiple marketplace platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and Tokopedia simultaneously
• Customer data management — Transferring information between CRM systems and local communication platforms like WhatsApp Business or LINE

Risks and Limitations

Computer use is powerful but comes with important considerations:

• Speed — Agents operating through visual interfaces are slower than direct API calls because they must render screens, process images, and execute sequential clicks
• Reliability — If a website or application changes its layout, the agent may need time to adapt. Pop-ups, CAPTCHAs, and unexpected dialogs can disrupt workflows
• Security — Giving an AI agent control of a computer raises security questions about what systems it can access and what actions it can perform. Strict permission boundaries are essential
• Cost — Processing screenshots with vision AI models consumes more computational resources than traditional API-based automation

Getting Started

For business leaders considering computer use AI:

1. Identify high-value manual workflows — Look for repetitive tasks that involve multiple software applications with no API connections, especially processes where staff spend hours copying data between systems
2. Start with low-risk processes — Begin with internal workflows where errors are easily caught and corrected, such as data entry or report generation, before moving to customer-facing or financial processes
3. Establish clear boundaries — Define exactly which applications and actions the agent is permitted to use, and implement monitoring to track its activities
4. Measure the ROI — Compare the cost of the AI agent against the human time saved, factoring in both the direct automation savings and the reduction in errors
5. Plan for scaling — Once you validate the approach on one workflow, identify other manual processes across your organization that could benefit from the same technology