Text-message AI agents expand as Instinct draws attention

The agents can remember context, connect to apps and services users already have, and complete tasks on their behalf, TechCrunch reported. That includes scheduling appointments, organizing calendars, researching trips, sending emails, making reservations, shopping online and setting reminders for days later. The report described several options, from general-purpose personal assistants to agents built for families and work.

Ask Proxy says its biggest differentiator is that it “thinks like a woman,” meaning it aims to anticipate a user’s needs before they ask. It works like a chatbot that users can text like a friend, whether they need gift ideas, help planning an event or recommendations for the weekend. Users can ask it to add important dates to a calendar, set reminders or help with everyday decisions, and they can send photos, such as an empty table, to get decorating ideas. Ask Proxy also contacts users when it notices something they might forget or a new activity, restaurant or experience they might enjoy. It offers a work-focused version that the company says “gets employees back to work faster, while keeping personal data off company systems.” The personal version costs $1 per day; business pricing starts at $15 per employee per month for large companies and $23 per employee per month for small teams with fewer than 49 employees. Ask Proxy works over SMS, and users can text “start” to 820-732-2625.

Caddy turns information scattered across a phone into actions, according to the report. It runs in iMessage for iPhone users and RCS for Android users, so there is no separate app or inbox to check. For example, when an email contains an appointment that needs to be added to a calendar or a friend sends a list of things to pick up, Caddy connects to calendars and conversations and identifies items that may require action. It can add events, set reminders, track follow-ups and conduct research. Caddy has been in public beta since April 2026.

Comma is designed to manage tasks across work and everyday life and carries them through to completion, checking its own work and determining when a task is finished, TechCrunch reported. Completed work is surfaced for review when a decision or approval is needed. It also notifies users and recommends next steps, and it can work across a browser, computer and files while remaining accessible through messaging apps such as Signal, Telegram and WeChat. Comma keeps context and memory across devices and conversations, and it can deliver daily briefings, flag urgent matters and summarize recorded calls. It is free to start and open source.

Fambot is positioned as an AI-powered “chief of staff” for families, bringing together school communications, sports activities, meal planning, calendars and other day-to-day responsibilities into an organized plan. It works across an app and text messages, is available on iOS, Android and the web, and lets families interact with it directly over SMS. Every night, Fambot 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 ask questions, check information or make calendar changes. Fambot currently connects to Gmail, Google Calendar, Outlook and WhatsApp, with support for Apple Calendar planned. The company launched in beta in early September 2026 and has raised $3.5 million in pre-seed funding. The service is free during the beta period, but Fambot expects to eventually charge roughly the equivalent of a Netflix subscription.

Folk works through iMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram. It can remember personal context, manage reminders, research topics, track flights, handle email and make restaurant reservations, according to the report. It runs on its own private cloud computer and can run code and execute multi-step tasks rather than only responding conversationally. Folk launched a beta in May 2026, is available for free and offers a Pro subscription at $8.33 a month.

Editor's Summary

TechCrunch reported that a growing set of AI agents can operate inside text messages and messaging apps, handling tasks from reminders and reservations to family scheduling and work follow-ups. Instinct is the highest-profile example after a $1 billion funding round at a $10 billion valuation, while services such as Ask Proxy, Caddy, Comma, Fambot and Folk target different users and price points. The offerings show agent developers moving into interfaces consumers already use rather than requiring separate apps.