A new wave of AI agents lets users interact via ordinary text messages instead of downloading separate apps. By simply texting a request, these assistants can remember context, link to existing services, and carry out actions such as booking appointments, managing calendars, researching travel, sending emails, making reservations, shopping online, or issuing reminders days later. While Instinct has captured headlines with a $10 billion valuation after a recent $1 billion funding round, several other platforms are also vying for a spot in this emerging market. Below is a rundown of the most prominent options, ranging from all‑purpose personal helpers to family‑focused, travel‑oriented, and workplace‑centric agents.
Ask Proxy
Ask Proxy markets itself as an assistant that “thinks like a woman,” aiming to anticipate user needs before they are voiced. The service works like a chatbot that can be messaged like a friend, offering suggestions for gifts, event planning, or weekend activities. Users can ask it to add dates to a calendar, set reminders, or help with routine decisions, and they can even send photos—such as an empty table—to receive decoration ideas. Unlike many chatbots, Ask Proxy takes a proactive stance, reaching out when it detects a potential oversight or discovers a new restaurant or experience that might interest the user. A work‑focused version promises to get employees back to work faster while keeping personal data off company systems. The personal plan costs $1 per day; business pricing starts at $15 per employee per month for large enterprises and $23 per employee per month for teams under 49 people. Interaction occurs over SMS; users can text “start” to 820‑732‑2625.
Caddy
Caddy is an AI assistant that transforms scattered information on a phone into actionable items. Integrated into iMessage for iPhone users and RCS for Android, it eliminates the need for a separate app. When an email contains a meeting request or a friend sends a shopping list, Caddy links to calendars and conversations, extracts tasks, adds events, sets reminders, tracks follow‑ups, and can even conduct research. The tool has been in public beta since April 2026.
Comma
Comma is built to handle tasks across professional and personal realms. It carries assignments through to completion, self‑checks its work, and surfaces finished items for review when decisions or approvals are required. The assistant sends proactive notifications, suggests next steps, and operates across browsers, computers, and files while remaining reachable through messaging platforms such as Signal, Telegram, and WeChat. Comma preserves context and memory across devices, delivers daily briefings, flags urgent issues, and summarizes recorded calls. It is free to start and is offered as open‑source software.
Fambot
Fambot functions as an AI “chief of staff” for families, consolidating school notices, sports schedules, meal planning, calendars, and other daily responsibilities into a unified plan. Available via an app, web portal, and SMS, the service sends a nightly summary of the next day’s events, to‑dos, and details like uniform or packing requirements. Parents can reply to adjust plans, ask questions, or modify calendars. Currently, Fambot syncs with Gmail, Google Calendar, Outlook, and WhatsApp, with Apple Calendar support slated for the future. Launched in beta in early September 2026, the startup has raised $3.5 million in pre‑seed funding and offers the service for free during the beta phase, planning later to charge a fee comparable to a Netflix subscription.
Folk
Folk reaches users through iMessage, WhatsApp, and Telegram, remembering personal context, handling reminders, researching topics, tracking flights, managing email, and making real‑world arrangements such as restaurant bookings. A key differentiator is that Folk runs on its own private cloud computer, allowing it to execute code and perform multi‑step tasks rather than merely replying conversationally. The beta began in May 2026; the basic version is free, while a Pro subscription costing $8.33 per month unlocks unlimited background tasks.
Instinct
Instinct entered the spotlight after securing $350 million at a $2.5 billion valuation, and in September 2026 it closed a $1 billion round that pushed its worth to $10 billion. The always‑on agent can act on behalf of users rather than just answer queries. Communication is possible via text or voice, and the platform integrates with email, calendars, Google Workspace, and other services. Early adopters have used Instinct for trip planning, grocery ordering, ticket booking, and subscription cancellations. In September, the company began assigning dedicated email addresses to each assistant, enabling Instinct to create and manage accounts for users without exposing personal inboxes.