Here are the top AI agents that can live in your text messages

A growing group of AI agents lets users delegate personal, family and work tasks through SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, RCS and other messaging channels instead of separate apps. These services can connect with calendars, email, files and other accounts to set reminders, research travel, make reservations, shop, send messages, manage follow-ups and provide daily briefings. Several products also act proactively by retaining conversational context and flagging events or tasks that may require attention. The market includes general assistants such as Instinct, Martin, Folk, Comma, Pally, Rene, Tab and Wajo’s Fo; household tools including Fambot, Ohai, Ollie and Orbits; and specialized services such as travel assistant Miso and creator-focused Stanley. Instinct raised $1 billion in September 2026 at a $10 billion valuation and remains in private beta; it has begun providing agents with dedicated email addresses and rolling out calling support. Poke became the first AI agent approved for Apple Messages for Business in June 2026, before Cognition acquired its parent company the following month in a low-nine-figure deal. Products vary in autonomy and privacy: Maverick requests permission before taking action, Ollie says it has achieved SOC 2 compliance, and Underdog runs entirely on a user’s device during its invite-only beta.