All the AI agents that can live in your text messages

來源原標題

All the AI agents that can live in your text messages

作者

Lauren Forristal

原始標籤

AI · instinct · AI agents

原始連結

https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/03/all-the-ai-agents-that-can-live-in-your-text-messages/

摘要原文

Rather than downloading another app, a growing number of agents can simply be texted like an ordinary person. You text it what you need, and it can remember context, connect to the apps and services you already use, and complete tasks on your behalf. That can mean scheduling an appointment, organizing a calendar, researching a trip, sending an email, making a reservation, shopping online, or reminding you about something days later. While Instinct is one of the buzziest AI agents at present, thanks to its $10 billion valuation after its latest funding round of $1 billion, there are many others also making a play for this space. Below are some of the most notable options so far, from general-purpose personal assistants to agents designed for families, travel, and work. Caddy Image Credits: Caddy Caddy is an AI assistant that turns the information scattered across your phone into things you can actually act on. It lives in iMessage for iPhone users and RCS for Android users, so there’s no separate app or inbox to constantly check. For instance, an email contains an appointment that needs to be added to your calendar or a friend sends a list of things to pick up. Instead of worrying about all the details getting buried, Caddy connects to your calendars and conversations, then identifies things that may require action. It can add events to your calendar, set reminders, keep track of follow-ups, and even do research for you. Caddy has been available in public beta since April 2026. Fambot Image Credits: Fambot Fambot is an AI-powered “chief of staff” for families, designed to bring together the many moving parts of family life, including school communications, sports activities, meal planning, calendars, and other day-to-day responsibilities, and turn them into an organized plan. The service is designed to work across both an app and text messages. Fambot is available on iOS devices, Android devices, and the web, and families can also interact with it directly over SMS. Every night, Fambot automatically sends a summary of the following day, including upcoming events, to-dos, and details such as school uniform or packing requirements. Parents can reply to those messages to ask questions, check information, or make changes to their calendar. Fambot currently connects to Gmail and Google Calendar, with support for Outlook and Apple Calendar planned for the future. The company launched in beta in early September 2026 and has raised $3.5 million in pre-seed funding. The service is currently free during the beta period, but Fambot expects to eventually charge roughly the equivalent of a Netflix subscription. Folk Image Credits: Folk Folk is designed to be an AI assistant you can reach through iMessage, WhatsApp, and Telegram. It can remember personal context, manage reminders, research topics, track flights, handle email, and perform real-world tasks such as restaurant reservations. One distinction is that Folk runs on its own private cloud computer. It can also run code and execute multi-step tasks rather than merely responding conversationally. Folk launched its beta in May 2026, and it’s available for free but also offers a Pro subscription for $8.33/month if you want unlimited tasks running in the background. Instinct Image Credits: Instinct Instinct first made headlines after raising $350 million at a $2.5 billion valuation. In September 2026, it raised $1 billion , valuing it at $10 billion. The always-available agent can take actions on your behalf, rather than simply answer questions. Users can communicate with Instinct by text or voice and connect it to the apps and services they already use, such as email, calendar, Google Workspace, and more. The company says early users have used Instinct for tasks ranging from planning trips and buying groceries to booking tickets and cancelling subscriptions. In September, Instinct began giving users dedicated email addresses for their assistants. The idea is to let Instinct create and manage accounts on a user’s behalf without filling the user’s personal inbox. The agent can use its address to sign up for services, contact businesses, follow up on requests, and handle tasks that require an email account. (However, this level of autonomy has also raised concerns about privacy and security .) It’s also begun rolling out support for placing calls . The company remains in private beta. Iris Image Credits: Iris Powered by Hermes agent, Iris is designed to let users delegate tasks to an AI assistant directly through iMessage. Users can connect the apps they use and hand over a task with a simple message. The agent then works through the required steps, while retaining relevant context from previous interactions. It’s also designed to follow up with users proactively rather than waiting for another request. Martin Image Credits: Martin Martin is a general-purpose personal assistant reachable through SMS as well as phone, WhatsApp, email, Slack, and its own iOS app. It can help manage calendars, email, reminders, tasks, notes, and communications. It can also act on behalf of users by sending messages or making phone calls, while providing daily summaries of what needs attention. It’s a bit on the pricier side, with subscriptions starting at $21 per month. Miso Image Credits: Miso Miso takes the personal-assistant concept and applies it specifically to travel. It operates through iMessage and combines AI trip planning with support from a dedicated travel team. Users can arrange flights through messaging while Miso takes into account their travel preferences, loyalty points, and other priorities. Miso also gives travelers access to trip details, flight updates, along with personalized recommendations. Ohai Image Credits: Ohai Ohai is another family assistant focused on helping households manage the constant stream of information and tasks involved in everyday family life. Users can send messages, forward emails, or make voice requests, and the assistant can transform them into schedules, reminders, and plans. It can also coordinate calendars, household chores, and meals across multiple members of a family. It includes a free basic option, but also offers different subscriptions based on family size, starting at $9.99 per month. Ollie Screenshot Image Credits: Ollie Similar to the other family-focused agents, the idea behind Ollie is that families already have the information they need, but it lives across school messages, calendars, task lists, and group chats. Ollie aims to bring those pieces together and keep them in sync. It can keep track of calendars, emails, reminders, tasks, and other household details, then deliver relevant information to users through text. Its biggest differentiator from other agents is that Ollie is one of the first mainstream, family-focused AI assistants to achieve SOC 2 compliance, a widely used security standard. Launched in June 2026, Ollie offers a free tier, as well as paid plans starting at $25 per month for 150 messages. A $100-per-month plan includes up to 1,000 messages. Orbits Image Credits: Orbits Orbits also has an AI assistant that is focused on the household. It works through both the Orbits app and text messaging, and can bring together calendars, lists, and conversations while also carrying out tasks for you. That can include searching the web, making purchases, booking restaurants, changing appointments, and requesting quotes for household services. Additionally, Orbits can remind family members about chores, communicate with service providers, and help coordinate responsibilities beyond the immediate household. Orbits is backed by investors like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Speedrun fund, N49P, and Garage Capital. Pally Image Credits: Pally Users can interact with Pally as they would with a friend while giving it access to the apps they already rely on.