Computer-Use AI Agents: The Best Open-Source & Closed-Source Tools in 2026

Computer-use AI agents are AI systems that can operate a computer in much the same way as a human ‒ by interacting with graphical user interfaces (GUIs), rather than relying solely on APIs.

They can read what is on the screen, click buttons, type text, move the cursor, navigate websites, open desktop applications, fill out forms, navigate graphical user interfaces and perform other computer interactions. All of this allows them to execute multi-step workflows across different apps.

Unlike traditional AI agents, which typically call APIs or use structured tools, computer-use agents can work directly with websites, desktop applications, operating systems, and mobile devices. Agents of that kind are usually assembled with frameworks and SDKs for building AI agents, which handle tool calling, memory and orchestration instead of screen control.

They perceive the current state through screenshots, visual inputs, or accessibility data, then plan the next action and repeat this process until the task is complete. Our AI agents vocabulary defines this perception–planning–action loop. It makes cross-application automation possible even when dedicated integrations are unavailable.

License and maintenance status

“Open source” does not mean the same operational risk for every project. The table below separates permissive licenses from strong copyleft and shows the latest tagged release or repository activity checked on August 31, 2026. Research repositories sometimes publish through commits and model cards rather than GitHub Releases.

License note: Skyvern’s AGPL-3.0 license can require source disclosure when modified software is offered over a network. Hosted services, model weights, and third-party dependencies may have separate terms, so teams should review the complete dependency chain before production use.

UI-TARS is ByteDance’s family of multimodal computer-use models. It can understand what’s happening on the screen and operate graphical interfaces using mouse and keyboard actions. UI-TARS Desktop turns that model into a usable desktop app for controlling local and remote computers and browsers. Agent TARS is the broader agent stack. It brings GUI interaction and vision to terminals, computers, browsers, and other products through a CLI and Web UI, with support for real-world tools via MCP.

Agent S3 is an open-source framework that lets AI operate computers running Linux, macOS, or Windows. It uses multimodal models, visual grounding, reflection, and past experience to work through complex, multi-step tasks across desktop apps. It can also run Python and Bash code when a task is easier to handle programmatically.

Browser Use helps AI agents use a browser much like a person would opening pages, clicking buttons, typing, and filling out forms. Developers can connect it to different language models and build agents for data extraction, form filling, website testing, and longer web workflows. You can run it locally and customize it yourself, or use Browser Use’s hosted cloud agent for more complex tasks.

CUA is a full stack for building, running, training, and evaluating computer-use agents. It gives agents one API for controlling isolated macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android environments, taking screenshots, clicking, typing, running commands, and interacting with apps.

The project also includes background desktop drivers, an agent framework, cross-platform sandboxes, benchmark and training environments, and tools for managing virtual machines.

UFO³ is Microsoft’s framework for coordinating GUI agents across multiple devices and platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Android. It breaks complex workflows into dynamic task graphs, assigns each task to the right device, and can run independent steps in parallel while adapting the plan based on results.

UFO³ builds on UFO², Microsoft’s Windows-focused desktop agent, which controls applications through a mix of GUI actions and native Windows APIs. So UFO² handles automation on a single Windows device, while UFO³ connects those device agents into larger cross-device workflows.

Stagehand is a framework for automating browsers with both natural language and code. Developers can use AI to navigate unfamiliar pages, switch to precise code for predictable steps, run multi-step agents, and extract structured data. Stagehand can preview and cache AI-generated actions, replay them without calling a model, and bring AI back in if a website changes and the automation breaks.

It’s mainly a developer framework for building reliable browser automations, rather than a finished consumer agent.

Skyvern is a browser automation platform that adds AI capabilities to Playwright. It uses vision models and multiple agents to understand websites, plan actions, and complete workflows such as filling out forms, downloading files, and extracting data even on unfamiliar sites or when layouts change.

Developers can use its SDK, while non-technical users can build automations through a no-code interface. Skyvern also offers a managed cloud version with proxies, CAPTCHA solving, and parallel browser sessions.

OpenAdapt is a system for automating important tasks that can only be done through a user interface. You demonstrate the task once, and OpenAdapt turns it into an inspectable workflow that can run across browsers, Windows, macOS, Linux, RDP, and Citrix/VDI. Its main focus is dependable, verifiable execution, not letting an agent freely improvise. Healthy runs are deterministic and use no generative-model calls. OpenAdapt checks whether important actions produced the intended result and pauses for human review when it’s uncertain.

Agent-E is an agent system for automating tasks on a computer, currently focused on browser workflows. It is built on the AG2 framework and lets users control a browser with natural-language instructions, searching websites, filling out web forms, comparing products, finding information, and managing web apps such as Jira.

It uses separate agents for planning and browser navigation and can run through either a chat-style browser interface or an API.

AgentCPM-GUI is an on-device GUI agent model built for Android. The 8-billion-parameter model reads smartphone screenshots, follows natural-language instructions, and works through multi-step tasks by tapping, typing, swiping, and using navigation controls.

It can operate both Chinese- and English-language apps, with specialized training on more than 30 popular Chinese apps. The reinforcement-tuned reasoning helps it plan before choosing each action.

ChatGPT Work is OpenAI’s general-purpose work agent that uses a built-in browser to navigate websites and can work across files, connected services, and desktop applications.

Claude Cowork is Anthropic’s work agent for executing longer tasks across browser tabs, local files, and productivity software. It can organize files, collect information from different tools, create documents, and use direct computer control when integrations are insufficient.

Gemini in Chrome with Auto Browse is a browser-use agent built directly into Chrome. It can complete multi-step web tasks such as comparing flights and hotels, collecting documents, filling forms, managing subscriptions, filing expenses, and adding products to a cart. Availability caveat: as of August 31, 2026, Auto Browse is limited to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States.

Perplexity Personal Computer is an always-on agent for macOS with access to local files, native applications, voice control, and the Comet browser. It can operate apps such as Finder, Mail, Slack, Messages, and Notes, and continue working remotely on a Mac mini while the user is away.

Genspark Claw can run on a dedicated cloud computer or locally through its macOS and Windows desktop app. It can operate browsers, applications, and files, and combines computer use with skills for research, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, media, and scheduled workflows. Local mode has broad file-system access, so users should limit its working folder and back up important files.

Amazon Nova Act is an AWS service and Python SDK for building, deploying, and managing browser agents at scale. Developers can combine natural-language instructions with Python code to create more predictable workflows for search, extraction, form filling, and transactions. The hosted service is proprietary; the SDK repository is available under Apache 2.0.

Nova Act can run multiple sessions in parallel, preserve browser sessions, and hand a task to a human when approval or direct intervention is needed. Workflows can be developed locally, deployed to AWS, and monitored through the AWS Console.

Manus Browser Operator is a browser extension that turns your existing browser into an active workspace for Manus. It can work inside websites where you’re already logged in, use the premium tools you already have access to, and complete complex tasks through your real accounts and sessions.

Browser agents operate only inside web browsers, where they can navigate websites, click buttons, fill out forms, extract information, and complete online workflows. Computer-use AI agents can interact with entire operating systems, including desktop applications, file systems, terminals, browsers, and, in some cases, mobile devices. This allows them to complete workflows that span multiple applications, for example: collecting data from a website, editing a spreadsheet, saving files locally, and sending the final report through a messaging or productivity app.

In other words, most browser agents are a subset of computer-use agents, but computer-use agents are not limited to the web.

Start with the environment and the amount of control the workflow needs—not the leaderboard score. A strong benchmark result does not guarantee reliable operation on your websites, permissions, or desktop setup — our LLM benchmarks guide covers what agent and coding evaluations actually measure, and where contamination and saturation make them unreliable.

Before committing, test the agent on your own workflow using completion rate, recovery after failure, latency, cost, permission boundaries, and the quality of the audit trail. For self-hosted software, include the license and the maintenance signal in the decision.

GUI control is valuable when an API is unavailable, but it is usually less precise and more fragile than direct integration. Common failure modes include:

The practical pattern is hybrid: use APIs and deterministic code for stable steps, computer use for gaps in the workflow, and human approval for irreversible decisions.

A computer-use AI agent is an AI system that interacts with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) the same way a human does. Instead of relying only on APIs, it can read the screen, click buttons, type text, move the cursor, navigate websites, and operate desktop or mobile applications to complete multi-step tasks.

Traditional AI agents primarily interact with software through APIs and structured tools. Computer-use agents work directly with graphical interfaces using screenshots, accessibility information, or visual inputs, allowing them to automate applications even when no API is available.

There is no single best open-source computer-use agent. Stagehand and Browser Use are strong browser-first starting points; CUA, Agent S3, and UI-TARS target broader computer control; UFO³ focuses on multi-device orchestration; OpenAdapt emphasizes repeatable, inspectable workflows; and AgentCPM-GUI targets Android. The right choice depends on environment, reliability, license, and maintenance requirements.

Computer-use agents can browse websites, fill out forms, operate desktop software, manage files, automate repetitive workflows, extract information, navigate operating systems, perform browser testing, and execute complex tasks across multiple applications with minimal human intervention.

No. Browser agents specialize in web-based tasks such as browsing, form filling, and web automation. Computer-use agents are broader—they can control browsers as well as desktop applications, operating systems, file managers, productivity software, and, in some cases, mobile devices.

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