Astropad's Workbench reframes remote desktop for AI agents, not IT support

Demand for Apple’s Mac Mini has surged, especially in China, as the compact computer becomes a go-to platform for testing autonomous AI agents like OpenClaw and similar systems. Now, Astropad is developing a remote desktop solution tailored specifically for this purpose.

On Tuesday, Astropad CEO Matt Ronge unveiled Astropad Workbench, a remote desktop solution for Apple devices that he describes as built “for the AI era.”

Although an AI agent running on a Mac Mini may not require its own display, the human operator will likely want to log in occasionally to review logs, monitor outputs, or restart stalled tasks, Ronge explains.

Image Credits:Astropad

The new remote desktop solution includes a range of features: high-fidelity streaming, voice-based prompts and commands, support for input methods like keyboard, Apple Pencil, or touch, and clients for both iPad and iPhone. The mobile client effectively puts the remote desktop tool in your pocket for access on the move.

If you run AI agents across multiple Macs, Workbench includes a device selector for easy switching between them.

Image Credits:Astropad

The concept emerged because the Astropad team and their peers wanted this capability for themselves.

“At Astropad, we’ve heavily adopted AI and have been using agents. Sometimes, an agent runs a long task and you want to check on it,” says Ronge. “There wasn’t a good way to do that…existing remote desktop tools existed, but nothing was built specifically for this,” he continues. “You could use a terminal or something like Telegram chats, but those are limited. There are times you need to see what’s happening on your Mac, approve a dialog, save something, or just visually inspect the status.”

Workbench also uses Astropad’s proprietary low-latency display protocol, called LIQUID, which supports workflows for creative professionals. It maintains full fidelity even at Retina resolutions, according to Astropad, without blurring lines or pixelating data. This protocol already powers other Astropad products, such as Luna Display, which turns an iPad into a second monitor, and Astropad Studio, which allows using an iPad as a professional drawing tablet.

While monitoring an AI agent may not always demand a high-fidelity solution, Ronge notes it’s a welcome feature, especially when reviewing designs or mock-ups created by the AI agent.

Image Credits:Astropad

Of course, remote desktop software has been around for a while, meaning Astropad faces well-established competitors like Jump Desktop, RustDesk, AnyDesk, Parsec, VNC-based solutions, and many others.

But Ronge argues those tools were not designed for the specific use of tracking AI agents via remote desktop. With Workbench, it’s straightforward to check log status, monitor AI agent progress, spot issues, restart stalled jobs, and make adjustments. And you can do all this from your iPhone or iPad.

“We’ve focused on iPad development for years—it’s been our entire company for the past decade. We bring a lot of experience in building quality iPad apps,” Ronge says. “We know how to create strong iOS apps…so we did that, and we also added a voice model.”

Image Credits:Astropad

The technology leverages Apple’s voice model, allowing you to speak to your phone and direct your AI agent by pressing the microphone button.

“It’s a very natural way to interact with agents. That’s the kind of feature existing remote desktop apps simply don’t have—they’re built for more traditional, enterprise-style remote desktop use.”

As a new release, some bugs and polishing are expected, but the team continues to refine the product. Next steps include launching support for Windows and Linux, as well as improving the iPhone app.

The software runs on macOS 15 and later, and iOS 26, and is available as a free download with 20 minutes of daily access. For unlimited access, the cost is $10 per month or $50 per year.

Astropad, a bootstrapped and profitable small tech company, has over 100,000 customers who have purchased its iPad hardware accessories and software. With Workbench, Ronge believes the company can reach both AI enthusiasts and businesses as remote support for AI agents becomes more common.

“I absolutely think businesses will buy it. The productivity gains I’m already seeing point straight to enterprise adoption. It’s just too powerful,” he notes.