Claude Code, a developer tool built by Anthropic, has unexpectedly become one of the most widely adopted AI products across a broad range of users—not just software engineers, but people from diverse fields who have found ways to use it to build new things. Over the past year, especially in recent months, the team at Anthropic has observed a surge in individuals accessing their terminals to create, automate, and experiment, marking a rare instance of true product-market fit in the AI space. On this episode of The Vergecast, Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code at Anthropic, breaks down how the tool gained such traction. Cherny has recently drawn attention by claiming that he now writes 100% of his own code using Claude Code. He explains how his relationship with code has evolved—from writing every line manually to relying on the AI to generate, debug, and optimize his work, allowing him to focus more on design and problem-solving. The conversation also touches on Cowork, a new initiative from Anthropic aimed at making Claude Code and its broader ecosystem more accessible to non-technical users. While the vision includes moving beyond traditional chat interfaces, the exact form of this future experience remains unclear. The goal is to create seamless, intelligent workflows that integrate into daily routines without requiring users to understand the underlying technology. Later in the episode, The Verge’s Hayden Field joins to continue a discussion on AI and privacy. As AI systems become more agentic—capable of acting autonomously across apps, devices, and data sources—they demand increasingly deep access to personal information. Field unpacks the tradeoffs involved: the convenience and power of AI assistants that can manage your calendar, draft emails, or control smart devices come at the cost of significant data exposure. He offers practical advice on how users can evaluate these risks and protect their privacy in an age of pervasive AI. Finally, Allison Johnson helps host David answer a listener question from the Vergecast Hotline—received via phone (866-VERGE11) or email ([email protected])—about the ongoing RAM shortage and its impact on gadget purchases in 2024. Depending on your device’s age and usage, the advice ranges from simple maintenance like clearing caches and upgrading storage to more substantial upgrades, such as replacing older hardware with models that support more RAM and better performance. For those interested in diving deeper into the topics discussed, links to relevant resources are available through The Verge’s website.