The 30 second story
Ever watched a babysitter through your home security camera to check everything is running smoothly? Astropad has built something similar for businesses running AI agents. Their new product, Workbench, lets you watch and control AI software running on Mac Mini computers from your iPhone or iPad. The streaming works fast enough that you can see what the AI is doing in real time and step in if needed. Astropad has not announced UK pricing or availability yet.
Why it matters
Most businesses running AI agents have no way to see what those agents are doing once they start working. You send them off to analyse spreadsheets or research competitors, then wait for results without knowing if they are stuck, making mistakes, or working properly. This creates risk because you cannot spot problems until it is too late, and wastes time when agents get confused but keep running anyway.
Workbench changes this by letting you peek over the AI’s shoulder from anywhere. If an agent gets stuck trying to log into a website, you can guide it through manually. If it starts heading down the wrong path, you can correct course immediately rather than discovering the mistake hours later when it finishes.
What this means for your business
- AI agents become less risky because you can spot problems as they happen, not after they finish
- Remote monitoring means you can oversee AI work from anywhere, not tied to your office computer
- Stepping in to guide confused agents saves hours compared to restarting failed tasks from scratch
- Mobile access makes it practical to check on longer AI tasks without staying glued to your desk