Block Open-Sources Berd, a Desktop AI Workspace for All Users
Carl Franzen (4:23 pm, PT, August 18, 2026)
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Block, the technology company founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey (and owner of Square, Cash App, and Tidal), is open-sourcing Berd, a desktop application initially built for its own employees.
Berd is a locally installed graphical desktop app, available on GitHub under an Apache 2.0 license. This means anyone can use, modify, and redistribute it, including commercially. It's compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux.
"Berd is desktop-first because much of its value comes from working directly with projects, local files, tools, repositories, and agents running on or connected to the user’s computer," explains Brad Axen, Head of AI Capabilities at Block.
Features of Berd:
- Daily AI work surface: A single place to start chats, attach files, choose agents and models, work on projects, configure AI providers, manage skills and extensions, review session history, and build automations.
- Emphasis on visible operational state: Users always know which project, files, agent, model, provider, and session state are shaping a conversation.
- Separates from generic chatbot wrappers: Configuration is treated as part of the workflow, not hidden in an administrative layer.
Berd's Origin
Berd arose from a need within Block to streamline work with diverse AI agents. Employees were already using agents like Goose, Claude Code, and Codex, but their experience was fragmented.
"We had capable agents through goose, Claude Code, and Codex, but working across them meant navigating different interfaces, configuration systems, and ways of managing context," says Lucinda Bell, Technology Communications at Block.
Berd offers "one consistent desktop application across models and harnesses."
Beyond Engineering
Block designed Berd to make agentic work accessible beyond engineering teams. Users can start with a conversation and add tools, context, and structure as needed.
Mobile vs. Desktop
While Block's Buzz provides a mobile experience, Axen emphasizes that Berd is not a mobile product.
Agent Identity
Berd takes a unique approach to a common problem: how to differentiate one configured agent from another. Instead of blank chat windows, agents in Berd have roles, instructions, skills, tools, and recognizable visual identities.