Here are the top AI agents that can live in your text messages
Textable AI agents are being marketed as personal assistants that can handle tasks through ordinary messaging, without requiring users to download another app. They can connect with calendars, conversations and other services to help with planning, reminders, research and bookings, signalling a push to make AI assistance part of everyday messaging.
The article surveys options for personal, family, travel and work needs. Ask Proxy works by SMS and costs $1 a day for personal use, while its business plans start at $15 per employee monthly for large companies and $23 for smaller teams. Caddy works through iMessage or RCS and has been in public beta since April 2026; Comma is free to start and open source, with access through Signal, Telegram and WeChat.
In short
- Textable AI agents can manage everyday tasks through messaging.
- Ask Proxy costs $1 a day for personal use.
- Caddy and Comma connect to existing messaging services.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Text-based AI agents could make assistance easier to use by bringing reminders, research and bookings into messaging services people already know, without requiring another app. Supporters may value the convenience of handling everyday tasks in one place and the possibility that family or work teams can coordinate more smoothly.
The case against
Putting AI agents inside personal messaging accounts may raise concerns about privacy, security and how much access they need to conversations, calendars and other services. Critics may also question whether the convenience justifies subscription costs, dependence on third-party platforms and the risk of mistakes in tasks such as bookings or scheduling.