Which computer use agents give full desktop access?

Among apps you can install today, Claude's desktop app and superbot both reach the whole desktop on macOS and Windows, and the open-source Agent S does on macOS, Windows and Linux. Microsoft's UFO targets the Windows desktop. Agents built around a browser, such as ChatGPT's cloud browser or the Browser Use library, stop at the edge of the web page.

How much control each one takes

Full access is a setting, not a default, in both consumer apps. That is deliberate: the agent sees everything on screen, so you choose when it may act freely.

Short answers

Does superbot get full desktop access?

Only if you choose it. superbot's computer use works on Mac and Windows and starts at Ask, so it asks before it uses your computer; Always lets it act without asking and Off keeps it off your screen. On a Mac it also needs the Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions, which you grant once.

Can an AI agent run locally on your computer?

Partly. The piece that captures the screen and sends clicks always runs on your computer. The model is a separate question: consumer apps generally use the maker's hosted models, while open-source tools let you pick. goose works with any model, and Browser Use shows a setup with a local model served through Ollama.

What does full desktop access let an agent do that a browser agent cannot?

Open and operate installed software, move files between folders, copy between two desktop apps and use tools that have no web version. A browser agent cannot leave the page it is on.

Is full access risky?

It raises the stakes of a mistake. Anthropic advises builders to run computer use in a dedicated virtual machine with minimal privileges and to have a person confirm actions with real consequences.