Oct 23, 2024

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Anthropic AI as a Virtual Assistant

Planning a trip takes time. You research restaurants, check reviews, figure out directions, and that's before you even pack a bag. What if you could hand that work off to an AI assistant?

Here's how to get Anthropic's desktop assistant running on your machine.

First, go to Anthropic's console and create an API key. Save that key in ~/.mingdaoai/anthropic.key on your system.

Next, install Docker if you haven't already. Get it from Docker's website and run the desktop version.

Now open your terminal and run these commands:

git clone https://github.com/mingdaoai/desktop-assistant
cd desktop-assistant
python start_desktop.py

Once it's running, open your browser and go to http://localhost:8080. You'll see a virtual desktop with a chat interface on the left side.

Try this prompt to test it out: "I'm at the Washington Monument. Find the most affordable restaurant nearby and guide me on how to get there."

The assistant will search for options, check prices, and give you directions. You won't have to switch between apps or type endless searches yourself.