Anthropic Expands Claude with In‑Chat App Integrations via MCP
Key Points
- Claude now runs interactive apps like Slack, Canva, Asana, and Figma inside the chat.
- The Model Context Protocol (MCP) powers visual, in‑chat interactions.
- Users can draft messages, create presentations, and manage projects without leaving Claude.
- MCP Apps can deliver interfaces to any AI product that supports the protocol.
- Anthropic originated MCP in 2024 and donated it to the Linux Foundation.
- The Agentic AI Foundation, co‑founded with major tech firms, aims to advance open‑source AI.
- The integration marks a shift toward AI platforms functioning like operating systems.
Anthropic has added a new extension to its Claude chatbot that lets users interact with popular productivity apps—such as Slack, Canva, Asana, and Figma—directly inside the chat interface. Powered by the open‑source Model Context Protocol (MCP), the integration moves beyond simple text replies, offering visual, interactive experiences that let users draft messages, build presentations, and manage projects without leaving the AI conversation. The move signals a shift toward AI platforms functioning more like operating systems, and the MCP framework is being positioned for broader adoption across other AI products.
New In‑Chat App Capabilities for Claude
Anthropic announced that its Claude chatbot now supports a suite of interactive applications built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Users can open tools such as Slack, Canva, Asana, Figma, Hex, Amplitude, monday.com, Clay, Box, and upcoming Salesforce utilities directly inside the chat window. This allows actions like drafting and previewing Slack messages, customizing Canva decks in real time, creating interactive charts, and managing projects without switching to separate browsers or apps.
From Text Replies to Visual Interaction
Previously, linking external tools to an AI assistant resulted only in textual outputs. The new MCP‑based integration lets users see, explore, and refine results visually. Anthropic described the experience as similar to “mini” apps embedded in messaging platforms such as Telegram and Discord, offering a more tactile and immediate way to work with data and design assets.
Implications for AI Platform Design
The expansion positions Claude as more than a conversational agent; it begins to resemble an operating system that can host a variety of functional modules. Anthropic likened this evolution to an “everything app” model, referencing platforms like Tencent’s WeChat. A comparable trend is noted with ChatGPT, which launched its own app ecosystem last year, indicating broader industry movement toward AI‑driven app marketplaces.
Model Context Protocol as an Open‑Source Standard
Anthropic credited MCP for enabling the seamless embedding of interactive interfaces. The new extension, called MCP Apps, allows any MCP server to deliver an interactive UI within any supporting AI product, not just Claude. This opens the door for other AI tools to adopt similar in‑chat app experiences.
Adoption and Ecosystem Development
Initially created at Anthropic in 2024, MCP has been adopted by major technology firms including OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. Anthropic later donated the protocol to the Linux Foundation and helped launch the Agentic AI Foundation alongside OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, AWS, Block, Bloomberg, and Cloudflare. The foundation’s goal is to advance open‑source, agentic AI technologies.
Future Outlook
With a growing roster of integrated applications and a collaborative open‑source framework, Claude’s new capabilities suggest a future where AI assistants serve as centralized hubs for a wide range of productivity tools. The expanding ecosystem could reduce the need for developers to build and maintain multiple proprietary interfaces, streamlining user workflows across the AI landscape.