According to a report published by TechCrunch, a growing number of artificial intelligence agents are allowing users to communicate with them via ordinary text messages instead of downloading additional dedicated apps. The user texts their needs, and the agent can remember context, connect to the apps and services the user already uses, and complete tasks on their behalf. These actions include scheduling appointments, organizing calendars, researching trips, sending emails, making reservations, online shopping, or setting reminders for later dates. Alongside Instinct, which attracted widespread attention following a $10 billion valuation and a $1 billion funding round, other companies are developing similar solutions for personal, family, and professional use.
General and Personal Agents Operating via Text Messages
Instinct first made headlines after raising $350 million at a $2.5 billion valuation, and in September 2026, it raised an additional $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation. The agent operates continuously and can take actions on the user's behalf based on text or voice messages, alongside connecting to services such as email, calendars, and Google Workspace. According to the company, early users have used it for planning trips, buying groceries, booking tickets, and canceling subscriptions. In September, the company began providing dedicated email addresses for the assistants, aiming to allow account creation and management without filling the user's personal inbox, though this level of autonomy has raised privacy and security concerns. Instinct remains in private beta and has begun rolling out support for placing voice calls.
Poke launched in March 2026 as a general-purpose personal assistant reachable via text messaging for calendars, planning, health and fitness, smart home control, and photos. In June 2026, Apple approved Poke as the first AI agent on the Apple Messages for Business platform, and about a month later, its parent company, The Interaction Company of California, was acquired by the AI coding startup Cognition in a deal valued in the low nine figures.
Folk is designed as an assistant available on iMessage, WhatsApp, and Telegram. It manages reminders, tracks flights, handles email, and performs real-world tasks such as making restaurant reservations. Folk runs on its own private cloud computer, executes code, and carries out multi-step tasks. It launched in beta in May 2026 and offers a free tier alongside a Pro subscription priced at $8.33 per month for unlimited background tasks.
Rene operates on iMessage, Telegram, and WhatsApp, converting natural-language conversations into tasks, reminders, summaries, and follow-ups while maintaining context across conversations. In addition, it includes a browser, coding capabilities, shopping functionality, and the ability to create slides and images.
Martin operates via SMS, phone calls, WhatsApp, email, Slack, and its own iOS app. It assists with managing calendars, email, reminders, and messaging, provides daily summaries, and is capable of placing calls and sending messages on the user's behalf. Its subscription pricing begins at $21 per month.
Tab emerged from stealth mode in early October at a $300 million valuation, backed by investors including SV Angel, Valar Ventures, and American Spirit. It enables delegating everyday tasks such as ordering groceries or finding gifts via iMessage or WhatsApp.
Iris is powered by Hermes Agent and allows users to delegate tasks via iMessage while connecting to apps and maintaining context, and it includes proactive follow-ups with the user.
Solutions for Family and Household Management
Fambot was designed to serve as a chief of staff for families, aiming to bring together communications from schools, activities, meal planning, and schedules. The service functions across an app, a website, and SMS on iOS and Android devices. Every evening, Fambot sends a summary of the next day, including events, tasks, dress requirements, and supplies, and parents can reply to ask questions or update the calendar. Fambot connects to Gmail, Google Calendar, Outlook, and WhatsApp, with support for Apple Calendar planned for the future. The company raised $3.5 million in a pre-seed round, launched in beta in early September 2026, and plans to eventually charge roughly the equivalent of a Netflix subscription.
Ollie handles messages from schools, calendars, lists, and group chats, delivering information via text messages. Its prominent feature is compliance with the SOC 2 security standard. Ollie launched in June 2026 and offers a free tier alongside paid plans starting at $25 per month for 150 messages, and $100 per month for up to 1,000 messages.
Ohai assists households in centralizing messages, emails, and voice requests into schedules, chores, and meals among family members. It includes a free basic option and subscriptions based on family size starting at $9.99 per month.
Orbits functions through an app and text messaging, centralizing schedules and conversations while conducting searches, purchases, restaurant bookings, appointment changes, and quote requests for service professionals. The venture is backed by Andreessen Horowitz's (a16z) Speedrun fund, N49P, and Garage Capital.
Caddy operates directly within iMessage for iPhone users and RCS for Android users. It identifies things that may require action across calendars and conversations, adds events, and handles follow-ups and research. Caddy has been available in public beta since April 2026.
Agents for Work Tasks and Content Creation
Comma is designed to manage tasks across work and everyday life, checks its own work, and presents deliverables for review when a user decision or approval is required. Comma is open source and free to start, operates in the browser and on desktop, and is accessible remotely via Signal, Telegram, and WeChat, alongside summarizing recorded calls and providing daily briefings.
Town targets the professional environment and provides an assistant called Townie that learns how the user works and handles recurring tasks across email, calendars, documents, and Slack. In June 2026, the company raised a $55 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz and Forerunner.
Stanley is aimed at content creators and operates through iMessage, Telegram, and the web. It connects to an Instagram account to suggest post ideas, turns voice notes into scripts and social media copy, and includes a content calendar for scheduling publications.
Szn centralizes task coordination through a single conversation thread using text, voice notes, photos, or forwarded emails. According to the company's website, the service has served more than 7,500 businesses across 16 countries, completed over 10,000 jobs, and handled 95 hours of calls.
Dedicated Agents: Travel, Groups, Local Privacy, and Devices
Miso focuses on travel via iMessage and combines AI-driven planning with support from a dedicated travel team, taking into account preferences, loyalty points, and flight updates.
Tomo operates on iMessage and allows adding the agent to group chats alongside one-on-one conversations for goal coordination, tracking, web searching, photo editing, and watching videos. Its basic plan starts at $19.99 per month.
Skye was developed by Signull Labs, which raised about $3.6 million in a seed round in 2025 and entered private beta in April 2026. The system functions as an agentic homescreen on iPhone, displaying contextual cards, audio briefings, and reminders drawn from connected services.
Underdog operates as a privacy-focused assistant that launched in an invite-only beta in October 2026. The model runs entirely on the user's device rather than in the cloud. The initial release supports Mac and Windows computers, with future plans for Linux, iPhone, and Android, as the company plans to offer the app for free initially and stated that it will never include advertising.
Pally enables friend-like conversations and connects to WhatsApp, Gmail, and Google Drive to track plans, receipts, and files. It offers a free tier with 15 minutes of calls per month, alongside paid tiers at $25 and $100 per month.
Wajo launched Fo in September 2026, an agent with its own email address, phone number, and payment card. According to Wajo, when Fo encounters something it cannot handle on its own, it can bring in a human assistant to finish the task. The service includes a free tier and a paid Pro tier.