# Arlo — full content corpus

> Every product page, guide, comparison, and glossary page from https://www.arlo.sh, as raw Markdown. The
> routed index lives at https://www.arlo.sh/llms.txt; any page also returns Markdown for Accept: text/markdown.

# Arlo — Personal AI Assistant for Calls, Bookings & Everyday Tasks

> Arlo is your personal AI assistant for calls, bookings and everyday tasks. Text it in iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, or use it in Slack for work.

Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/

## What Arlo does
- Makes phone calls, gets through phone menus and waits on hold for you.
- Researches restaurants, travel and appointments, then helps arrange the booking.
- Coordinates group plans with polls, messages and email follow-ups.
- Uses your connected apps and websites with the access you grant.
- Also handles work in Slack, including email, calendars, documents and project tools.
- Does what you clearly ask and checks with you when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone.

## Key features
- Channels: iMessage/SMS, WhatsApp, Slack, and phone calls.
- Memory: remembers your context across your conversations. Private user memory stays private; sharing to a team or company requires an explicit governed promotion.
- Calls: places outbound calls for you; you can call Arlo yourself. It does not screen other people's incoming calls on your behalf.
- Website access: uses accounts you connect to compare options, fill forms and complete tasks.
- Control: asks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone, and keeps an audit trail.

## Integrations
- Email and calendars: Gmail and Google Calendar.
- Docs and notes: Notion and Google Docs.
- Work and teams: Slack, Linear, GitHub, HubSpot and Salesforce.
- Plus thousands of other tools; websites without an API can be used through a secure browser session.

## Pricing
- Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage.
- Pay for a year and two months are free. Cancel any time.
- Every plan can text, call and book for you. Plans differ only in how much usage they include each month.
- A call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold.
- At the limit Arlo stops and tells you. To get more, move to Plus or invite a friend. Included usage resets each month. Unused monthly usage does not roll over.
- There are no top-ups or extra usage to buy. Plus is $20/mo for $100 of usage every month. Cancel anytime.
- Family: Add someone to a paid plan for $10 a month, and they get $100 of usage a month of their own. On Free, each family member gets $10 a month, the same as everyone.
- Friends: On Free, when both of you use Arlo from your own verified numbers on at least 3 days that month, you each get $20 more monthly usage. Up to 5 qualifying friends brings your total to $100 a month.
- No card to start.

## Which Arlo this is
- Arlo (also "Arlo AI", "Arlo AI assistant", arlo.sh) is a personal AI assistant for everyday tasks, with work and team capabilities too. Official profiles: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arloagent and https://x.com/arlo_agent.
- It is NOT: the Arlo home-security cameras brand (arlo.com), the Arlo training-management software, arlo.ai (realtor marketing), heyarlo.ai (a different personal-assistant product), or RapDev's "Arlo" agents for ServiceNow/Datadog. This Arlo lives at arlo.sh only.

## Frequently asked questions
### Can Arlo call places for me?
Yes. Ask it to call a restaurant, help arrange an appointment or check availability. You can ask how the call went in the same conversation.

### Can it use websites and my logins?
Yes. Arlo can sign into your accounts and use websites the way you do: compare options, fill out forms, manage orders, and take care of the steps in between.

### Can it make plans with friends?
Add Arlo to the group chat. It can run a poll, follow up by email, and find a time that works for everyone.

### Will it ask before booking?
Arlo checks with you before a booking that needs your approval. You see the details and decide whether to go ahead.

### Where do I talk to Arlo?
Text or call it. You can also bring Arlo into WhatsApp, Slack, and your group chats.

### How much does it cost?
Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. No card to start.

## Where to go next
- [AI assistant in iMessage](https://www.arlo.sh/imessage) — text a number, no app to install
- [AI phone assistant](https://www.arlo.sh/phone) — makes calls for you; you can also call Arlo
- [Slack AI assistant](https://www.arlo.sh/slack) — triages threads and acts in your tools
- [Pricing](https://www.arlo.sh/pricing)
- [Docs and API reference](https://www.arlo.sh/docs)
- [About Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/about)
- [Contact Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/contact)
- [Guides, comparisons and definitions](https://www.arlo.sh/resources)

---

# iMessage AI assistant for calls, tasks and reminders

> Text Arlo in iMessage or SMS for calls, bookings and reminders. It handles the task and brings back the result, with no separate app to install.

Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/imessage

Arlo is your personal AI assistant in iMessage. Text it to arrange a booking, make a call, research a question, or use your apps. Free to start; no app to install.

## Frequently asked questions
### Is there an AI assistant I can text in iMessage?
Yes. Arlo gives you a number you text in iMessage (and SMS) like a contact. There is no app to install and no separate chat window — you ask, and it answers and acts.

### Which AI assistants integrate with SMS and iMessage?
Very few work in iMessage itself rather than in their own app. Arlo works over both iMessage and SMS by giving you a number you text like a contact, and the same assistant also works in WhatsApp, Slack, and on live phone calls. Arlo helps with personal errands and work in the same conversation.

### Can Arlo read my other iMessage conversations?
No. Texting Arlo gives it the messages you send to its thread, not access to your other conversations. Connecting email, a calendar or another tool requires separate authorization.

### Can the iMessage AI actually do things, not just chat?
Yes. Arlo connects to Gmail, Slack, Notion, Linear, GitHub and 3,000+ tools, and can use apps with no API by logging in through a secure browser session. When you ask clearly, Arlo does it and tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Every action is logged in an audit trace.

### Is there a free AI I can text in iMessage?
Yes. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month and no card. That covers real work: questions, drafts, reminders, research, and even calls and bookings. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage.

### Does it work on WhatsApp too?
Yes. Use Arlo on WhatsApp as well as iMessage or SMS.

### Can it make phone calls or text me reminders?
Yes. Ask for a call or reminder in the same thread. Arlo confirms the reminder schedule and reports what happened on the call.

### How is Arlo different from Poke or other AI you text?
Arlo helps with personal errands and work: calls, bookings, research, your calendar, and the websites you use. It works across Messages, WhatsApp and Slack. It asks when a request is unclear, would spend money, or needs your approval.

## Where to go next
- [Pricing](https://www.arlo.sh/pricing)
- [About Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/about)
- [Guides, comparisons and definitions](https://www.arlo.sh/resources)
- [AI assistant on WhatsApp you can text](https://www.arlo.sh/whatsapp)
- [The AI assistant that texts you first](https://www.arlo.sh/proactive)
- [AI phone assistant that makes real calls](https://www.arlo.sh/phone)
- [Slack AI assistant that does the work, not just the answering](https://www.arlo.sh/slack)

---

# AI assistant on WhatsApp you can text

> Send Arlo a message, voice note, photo or document. It makes calls, researches options and handles follow-ups in your connected apps, right from WhatsApp.

Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/whatsapp

Your personal AI assistant on WhatsApp. Send Arlo a message, voice note, photo or document. It researches, uses your apps and makes calls for you. Free to start.

## Frequently asked questions
### Is there an AI assistant I can use on WhatsApp?
Yes. Message Arlo like a contact. It researches, makes phone calls, helps with bookings, and takes action in your connected apps. There is no separate app to install.

### Can an AI on WhatsApp actually do things, not just chat?
Arlo can. It connects to Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, Notion, Linear, HubSpot and 3,000+ other tools, so a message like "move my 3pm and tell the team" gets done rather than explained. When you ask clearly, Arlo does it and tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Every action lands in an audit trail.

### Does it understand voice notes, photos, and documents?
Yes. Send a voice note and Arlo transcribes it and acts on it; send a photo, a PDF, or a document and it reads the contents. Send one file per message — several attachments in a single message aren't read.

### Is it free?
Yes. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month and no card, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage.

### Can it text me first on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp limits when a business can send messages. During an active conversation, Arlo can reply normally. Outside that window, some updates can use approved WhatsApp templates. Other results are held for up to 23 hours and arrive if you message Arlo again before they expire. Messages is another option for reminders and recurring updates.

### Can Arlo turn a WhatsApp message into a task?
Yes. Send the relevant text or one attachment and ask for a proposed task. Check the action, date, time zone and reminder channel before relying on it. Forwarding one message does not grant access to your other chats.

### Can Arlo read my other WhatsApp chats?
No. Arlo only receives the messages you send to it. It can't see, read, or monitor your conversations with anyone else.

## Where to go next
- [Pricing](https://www.arlo.sh/pricing)
- [About Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/about)
- [Guides, comparisons and definitions](https://www.arlo.sh/resources)
- [iMessage AI assistant for calls, tasks and reminders](https://www.arlo.sh/imessage)
- [The AI assistant that texts you first](https://www.arlo.sh/proactive)
- [AI phone assistant that makes real calls](https://www.arlo.sh/phone)
- [Slack AI assistant that does the work, not just the answering](https://www.arlo.sh/slack)

---

# AI phone assistant that makes real calls

> Arlo makes phone calls for you, navigates menus and waits on hold. Send the task by text and get the outcome in the same conversation.

Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/phone

Arlo is an AI phone assistant that places real phone calls for you — confirmations, follow-ups, questions for a business — and keeps the transcript of every call.

## Frequently asked questions
### What is an AI phone assistant?
An AI phone assistant is an AI that handles real phone calls for you rather than just with you. It dials, speaks with whoever answers, and pursues the task to an outcome. That is different from a voice assistant like Siri, which dials the number but leaves the conversation to you.

### Can an AI assistant actually make phone calls for me?
Yes. Arlo places live outbound calls — confirming appointments, chasing a supplier about a missing order, following up on a quote — and handles the back-and-forth itself, getting through phone menus, waiting on hold and leaving a voicemail if nobody picks up. You ask for it by text or in Slack, and you can ask how it went in the same thread.

### Can it answer my incoming calls too?
You can call your Arlo number to ask for help by voice. Arlo also makes outbound calls for you. It does not answer or screen calls from other people on your behalf.

### What happens after the call ends?
Arlo brings the outcome back to the conversation and keeps the call transcript. You can ask follow-up questions or ask it to update your calendar and take care of the next step.

### How much does an AI phone call cost?
A call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold. It comes out of your plan's monthly usage, the same usage that pays for texts, Slack, research and drafting, so there is no separate calling plan and no bundle of call hours to buy in advance. Free includes calls too, with $10 of usage a month.

### Will it commit to things on my behalf without asking?
No. Calls follow the brief you give it. Arlo tells you who it's calling and why before it dials, introduces itself as your AI assistant, and sticks to that brief on the call. It texts you a question mid-call when you've told it to check with you, and every call is written to an audit trail with its transcript.

### Can it reschedule an appointment for me?
Ask Arlo to check replacement times and state whether it may confirm a change. Keep the original booking until a replacement is confirmed. If there is a fee, identity check or decision outside your brief, Arlo needs your input.

## Where to go next
- [Pricing](https://www.arlo.sh/pricing)
- [About Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/about)
- [Guides, comparisons and definitions](https://www.arlo.sh/resources)
- [iMessage AI assistant for calls, tasks and reminders](https://www.arlo.sh/imessage)
- [AI assistant on WhatsApp you can text](https://www.arlo.sh/whatsapp)
- [The AI assistant that texts you first](https://www.arlo.sh/proactive)
- [Slack AI assistant that does the work, not just the answering](https://www.arlo.sh/slack)

---

# Slack AI assistant that does the work, not just the answering

> Arlo is an AI assistant that works inside Slack like a teammate. Mention it in a channel or DM and it untangles the thread, drafts the reply, and takes real action in your connected tools — updating the CRM, filing the issue, sending the email — and it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. It remembers context across Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, and phone calls, so the work follows the conversation.

Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/slack

Arlo is an AI assistant in Slack that triages threads, drafts replies, and takes real action in Gmail, HubSpot, Notion and Linear, and asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Free to start.

## Frequently asked questions
### What is a Slack AI assistant?
A Slack AI assistant works inside your channels and DMs rather than in a separate tab. It answers questions with your team's context, triages and summarizes long threads, drafts the replies you were going to write anyway, and — the part most tools skip — takes real action in your other tools instead of just producing text.

### Is there an AI assistant that works inside Slack and can update our CRM?
Yes. Arlo connects to HubSpot and Salesforce alongside Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub and 3,000+ other tools. A rep can say what happened on a call in Slack and Arlo logs it to the CRM, so the update happens where the conversation already is instead of being remembered later.

### Can it work out who owns a thread and route it?
Yes. Arlo reads the channel, works out what is actually being asked and who owns it, and can triage, summarize, or escalate accordingly — which is what makes it useful in a busy support or ops channel rather than just a question box.

### How is this different from Slack's own AI?
Slack AI is very good at summarizing and searching what is already inside Slack. Arlo is built to act outside it: sending the email, updating the record, filing the issue, placing the phone call — and carrying one memory across Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, and calls. They solve different halves of the problem.

### Will it send things without asking?
Only what you clearly asked for. If you say "text Dana I'm running late", Arlo sends it and tells you it did. It asks first when the request is unclear, when several options fit, when it would reach someone you didn't mean, when its own wording would go to someone you know who hasn't seen it, when it would spend money or delete something for good, or when the instruction came from a page or someone else. You can also tell it to always ask before certain things, and every tool call and approval is recorded in an audit trail you can check afterwards.

### Does it remember corrections our team makes?
Yes. Arlo can retain corrections within the authorized scope. Private user memory stays private by default. Team or company memory requires explicit governed promotion with an audit record; a shared channel does not grant access to private user sessions.

### Is it free to try in Slack?
Yes. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month and no card, and that covers real work, not a token trial. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage.

## Where to go next
- [Pricing](https://www.arlo.sh/pricing)
- [About Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/about)
- [Guides, comparisons and definitions](https://www.arlo.sh/resources)
- [iMessage AI assistant for calls, tasks and reminders](https://www.arlo.sh/imessage)
- [AI assistant on WhatsApp you can text](https://www.arlo.sh/whatsapp)
- [The AI assistant that texts you first](https://www.arlo.sh/proactive)
- [AI phone assistant that makes real calls](https://www.arlo.sh/phone)

---

# The AI assistant that texts you first

> A proactive AI assistant starts the conversation instead of waiting to be asked — it sends a morning brief, reminds you before a follow-up slips, and flags changes worth knowing. Arlo does this over iMessage and SMS, so there is no app to open and no dashboard to check: the update arrives in the thread you already read. You tell it what to watch once, in plain language, and it runs on a schedule until you say stop.

Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/proactive

Most AI waits to be opened. Arlo texts you first — a morning brief, a nudge before something slips, a heads-up when something changes — in Messages, with no app to open.

## Frequently asked questions
### What is a proactive AI assistant?
A proactive AI assistant reaches out on its own rather than waiting for you to open it. Instead of a chat window you have to remember, it sends a morning brief, a reminder before something slips, or a heads-up when something you care about changes. Arlo does this by text, so the update lands in Messages next to everything else you read.

### Can an AI assistant text me first?
Yes. Arlo can start the conversation. You tell it what to watch and when — a daily rundown at 8am, a nudge to follow up on a quote, a check the night before a deadline — and it texts you on that schedule without being prompted. You can change or cancel any of it by replying in plain language.

### How do I set up a recurring reminder or daily brief?
You ask for it in one sentence. Say "text me a rundown of what changed every morning at 8" and Arlo schedules it, confirms the exact next run time, and starts. There is no builder, no cron syntax, and no separate app — the setup happens in the same thread as the reminders.

### Is this different from ChatGPT scheduled tasks or Gemini's daily brief?
The behaviour is similar; the delivery is not. Those run inside their own apps, so a proactive nudge only reaches you if you open the app or allow its notifications. Arlo arrives as a text message, which reaches the surface you already check all day. It can also act on what it finds — draft the reply, book the time, make the call — behind an approval.

### Will it text me too much?
It only sends what you asked for, and quiet is a valid outcome. You can tell an automation to stay silent when there is nothing worth saying, so a watch on a slow-moving thing costs you nothing on the days nothing happens. Any schedule can be paused, edited, or cancelled by replying to it.

### What can it watch for me?
Anything it can reach: your inbox, calendar, a Slack channel, a document, a website, a CRM record, or your own list of follow-ups. Typical ones are a morning brief of what changed overnight, a reminder to chase a lead who has gone quiet, a bill or renewal warning, and a nudge before a commitment comes due.

## Where to go next
- [Pricing](https://www.arlo.sh/pricing)
- [About Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/about)
- [Guides, comparisons and definitions](https://www.arlo.sh/resources)
- [iMessage AI assistant for calls, tasks and reminders](https://www.arlo.sh/imessage)
- [AI assistant on WhatsApp you can text](https://www.arlo.sh/whatsapp)
- [AI phone assistant that makes real calls](https://www.arlo.sh/phone)
- [Slack AI assistant that does the work, not just the answering](https://www.arlo.sh/slack)

---

# Arlo pricing — Free, Plus and Max

> Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage.

Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/pricing

## The plans
- Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage.
- Pay for a year and two months are free. Cancel any time.
- Every plan can text, call and book for you. Plans differ only in how much usage they include each month.
- A call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold.
- At the limit Arlo stops and tells you. To get more, move to Plus or invite a friend. Included usage resets each month. Unused monthly usage does not roll over.
- There are no top-ups or extra usage to buy. Plus is $20/mo for $100 of usage every month. Cancel anytime.
- Family: Add someone to a paid plan for $10 a month, and they get $100 of usage a month of their own. On Free, each family member gets $10 a month, the same as everyone.
- Friends: On Free, when both of you use Arlo from your own verified numbers on at least 3 days that month, you each get $20 more monthly usage. Up to 5 qualifying friends brings your total to $100 a month.
- No card to start.

## Where to go next
- [Full pricing page](https://www.arlo.sh/pricing)
- [Docs and API reference](https://www.arlo.sh/docs)

---

# Can an AI cancel subscriptions or negotiate bills for you?

> Yes. Rocket Money cancels subscriptions for Premium members and negotiates bills for a share of the savings, and Pine AI calls, emails and waits on hold to cancel services or lower bills. An assistant such as Arlo does both from a text: it emails the company or uses its cancellation page, or calls, waits on hold and asks for a lower price within limits you set.

Updated: 2026-09-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/ai-that-cancels-subscriptions-and-negotiates-bills

Cancelling a subscription should take one click. It usually takes a login you've forgotten, a "are you sure?" screen, and sometimes a phone call. Lowering a cable or phone bill takes a phone call, a hold queue and some patience. A few services now do this for you, and they charge for it. Here's what's available as of September 2026. We make Arlo, one of the options, and we say where it fits.

## Services built for bills and subscriptions

**Rocket Money** is the best-known. Premium members can have it cancel many subscriptions for them, but not ones billed through Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Roku or PayPal ([Rocket Money](https://help.rocketmoney.com/en/articles/934402-how-do-i-cancel-a-subscription)). Its bill negotiation charges 35% to 60% of the first year's savings, and only if it succeeds ([Rocket Money](https://help.rocketmoney.com/en/articles/9744474-bill-negotiation-charge-explained)); its Premium+ tier includes negotiation with no fee ([Rocket Money](https://www.rocketmoney.com/terms)). In August 2026 it began rolling out Rowan, a texting agent, to some members ([PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rocket-moneys-rowan-rewrites-what-ai-can-do-in-personal-finance-302859522.html)).

**Pine AI** calls, emails and waits on hold for you to cancel services, get refunds and negotiate TV, internet, phone and insurance bills in the US and Canada. It's free to try, and for bill negotiation it charges a share of what it saves you, only if it saves you money ([Pine](https://www.19pine.ai/lower-your-bills)).

**Subpilot** is a subscription app that cancels subscriptions for you and sells extra cancellations as one-off top-ups ([Subpilot](https://subpilot.tech/pricing)). **DoNotPay** still sells cancellation tools; in 2025 the FTC finalised an order against it over its "AI lawyer" claims ([FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/02/ftc-finalizes-order-donotpay-prohibits-deceptive-ai-lawyer-claims-imposes-monetary-relief-requires)), and some recent reviews complain about stuck cancellations and unexpected charges.

Meta says its Muse agent can lower a bill, and Instinct says its new calling service can sort out a cable bill, but neither publishes results.

## When an assistant you text is enough

A lot of cancellations don't need a negotiator. They need someone to write the email or click through the settings page. An assistant that can use your email and a browser can do that.

Arlo can:

- Write the cancellation or refund email from your own Gmail or Outlook, quoting the account details it finds in your inbox. It shows you the email and sends it only when you say yes.
- Go through a company's cancellation page in a browser session, using a login you save once. If you ask it to cancel something online, it signs in and works through the steps.
- Remind you to chase it if the company doesn't reply, and draft the follow-up.
- Call the company. It presses through the phone menu, waits on hold, turns down retention offers unless you say otherwise, and asks for the cancellation date and confirmation number. You can also ask it to check any final charge.

To lower a bill, give Arlo your limit, say "see if they'll go under $60 a month, otherwise cancel". On the call it asks for promotions and loyalty discounts, mentions a competitor's price if you give one, and asks for the retention team if the first answer is no. It won't agree to a new plan, fee or contract you didn't allow; for anything outside your limit, it texts you and waits for your answer. If you want every bill tracked and renegotiated for you, Rocket Money or Pine is the better pick. See [Is there an AI that waits on hold for you?](/blog/ai-that-waits-on-hold-for-you) for the phone side.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there an app that cancels subscriptions for you?** Yes. Rocket Money cancels many subscriptions for its Premium members, but not ones billed through Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Roku or PayPal, and Subpilot cancels them as part of a paid subscription. An assistant such as Arlo can also email the company, go through its cancellation page, or call and wait on hold for you, with your approval.

**Is there an AI that negotiates bills for you?** Yes. Rocket Money negotiates bills for a share of the first year's savings, and Pine AI calls and waits on hold to lower TV, internet, phone and insurance bills in the US and Canada. Arlo calls and asks for a lower price within limits you set, and Meta says Muse can lower bills too.

**Can Arlo cancel my subscriptions?** Yes. It can email the company from your inbox, go through the online cancellation steps with a login you've saved, or call, get through the phone menu and wait on hold. When you ask it to cancel something, it does it and tells you what it did. It asks first if it isn't sure which account you mean, and it won't agree to a charge you didn't allow.

**Is it safe to let an AI cancel things for me?** Check what it can do without asking. Arlo does what you clearly ask, tells you what it did, and asks first before agreeing to any charge or when it isn't sure what you meant. Services that negotiate bills usually need account details for the providers involved, so read what access they ask for.

---

# Is there an AI that waits on hold for you? What works in 2026

> Yes. iPhone Hold Assist and Google Pixel Hold for Me wait during a call you place and alert you when a person is ready. A personal assistant such as Arlo can place the call, navigate the phone menu, wait on hold and talk to the business for you. Choose based on whether you want to take over the conversation or delegate it.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/ai-that-waits-on-hold-for-you

If you want to speak to customer support yourself, your phone can wait through the queue. If you want the call handled for you, text Arlo the job: it can dial, navigate the menu, wait on hold and speak to the business.

We make Arlo. This guide compares Apple, Google and Arlo's published workflows, checked 3 November 2026.

## The practical difference

| Option | Who places the call? | What happens when a person answers? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iPhone Hold Assist | You | The phone alerts you to rejoin |
| Pixel Hold for Me | You | The phone prompts you to return |
| Arlo | Arlo, from your request | Arlo follows your brief and speaks to the business |

## If you want to take the conversation yourself

[Apple's Hold Assist guide](https://support.apple.com/en-us/127521) describes starting the feature during a call and rejoining when notified. It supports iPhone 12, iPhone SE third generation and later; availability varies by country or region. Keep your phone set to ring so you hear the alert.

[Google's Hold for Me guide](https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/10071878) describes enabling it in the Phone app and starting it on each call. Google lists Pixel 3 and later, with country and language restrictions. It warns that detection may miss some situations. Check that guide for your region before relying on it.

These features are useful when you want to discuss the issue yourself but would rather step away during the queue.

## If you want to delegate the call

Leave the queue and the conversation with Arlo, then review the outcome in your thread. Give it the business, the answer you need and a spending boundary. Example request: “Call the repair shop, ask whether my order is ready, and check their collection hours. Don't agree to extra charges.”

If the business needs the account holder or another decision, Arlo can bring that step back to you. Include the destination and required account details in the brief.

Arlo identifies itself as an AI assistant and follows your brief. Ask for the outcome and transcript in the same conversation, including anything left for you to decide.

## Other options to compare

Pally also describes calls and personal tasks on its [official site](https://pally.com/). For a broader set of options, see [AI assistants that can make phone calls](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls). For the narrower job of cancellations and bill negotiation, read [the subscription and bills guide](/blog/ai-that-cancels-subscriptions-and-negotiates-bills). Check each service's current coverage and task limits rather than assuming every calling assistant handles the same jobs.

## Write the stopping point before the queue

An illustrative support-call brief: “Ask about the missing delivery. Wait no more than twenty minutes. If the agent needs identity verification, report what I need to do next. Do not accept a paid replacement or cancel the order.” This is a sample instruction, not a call made for this article.

If the business requires the account holder, the useful outcome is a clear handoff. If no one answers, the outcome is an attempted call. If an appointment is offered, check whether it was merely available or actually confirmed. The [rescheduling guide](/use-cases/ai-assistant-to-reschedule-appointments) shows how to preserve the original booking.

## What waiting costs

For Arlo's current talking and hold rates, use the [pricing page](/pricing). Talking and hold are priced separately; the [worked cost example](/blog/what-ai-assistant-work-costs) shows five minutes talking plus thirty on hold, with the arithmetic and stated assumptions. A long queue can consume allowance even if the business ultimately cannot resolve the issue. Your plan allowance and a business's own charges are separate.

Before a long call, decide what Arlo should do if nobody answers, the queue is too long or the business needs your participation. The [everyday delegation guide](/blog/how-to-delegate-everyday-tasks-to-ai) shows how to write that brief.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send the business, the question you need answered and how long it should wait. Let Arlo handle the phone menu and queue while you get on with your day.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there an AI that waits on hold for me?** Yes. iPhone Hold Assist and Pixel Hold for Me can notify you when a representative is ready. Arlo can place a call and handle the conversation from your brief, including phone menus and hold time.

**Does Hold Assist talk to customer support for me?** Apple's documented workflow alerts you to rejoin when a live agent is available. If you want the actual conversation delegated, choose a service that explicitly supports that task.

**Can Arlo handle the whole call?** It can speak to the business and follow the brief you gave it. Some issues still require your identity verification, extra authorization or a decision. A call attempt is not a guarantee of resolution.

**Is waiting on hold free with Arlo?** Hold time uses your allowance at the current hold rate. Check pricing and your remaining allowance before delegating a long call.

---

# AI restaurant research: three dinner options with Arlo

> We asked Arlo to research dinner near Roma Termini for four people, with vegetarian food and a €25-per-person budget. Arlo checked official menus, compared three options and saved a shortlist with sources. The research run took 2 minutes 32 seconds; the task recorded $1.12 of allowance usage.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study

Dinner research can mean switching between maps, menus and opening hours, then doing the maths for everyone’s budget. We gave that job to Arlo through Messages: find three options near Roma Termini and save a shortlist we could use to choose.

Arlo completed the research and saved the file. It compared three places, found vegetarian dishes with listed prices and calculated example food budgets. This was an Arlo team product test on 3 November 2026, using public information.

## The brief

Find three restaurants within about a 15-minute walk of Roma Termini for **four people on Friday 6 November 2026 at 19:30 Europe/Rome**. Aim for **€25 per person for food**, with a vegetarian main.

We asked Arlo to check the restaurants’ own websites and menus for addresses, dinner hours, dishes and prices. The output needed exact sources, a concise comparison and a saved Markdown file. This was a research task; reservations, purchases and contacting restaurants were outside the brief.

## The completed shortlist

Arlo picked La Famiglia for a conventional sit-down dinner, Fresco for convenience inside the station and Sfizio for a more casual meal. Its [original saved shortlist](/examples/rome-dinner-shortlist-2026-11-03.md) includes addresses, walking estimates, opening hours, menu links and budget calculations.

| Restaurant | Example food order | Budget per person |
| --- | --- | --- |
| La Famiglia, Via Gaeta 66 | Tomato-and-basil spaghetti plus tomato bruschetta | €15.68, including its listed 12% service |
| Fresco Terrazza Termini, inside the station | Tomato-and-basil spaghetti plus tomato bruschetta | €18.50, before unverified extras |
| Sfizio 1948, Via Giovanni Giolitti 77 | Tomato with Rice plus Simple Salad | €14.40, before unverified extras |

These are example orders calculated from menu prices, excluding drinks. Arlo distinguished published opening hours from confirmed dinner-kitchen service and noted where seating or extra charges needed checking. Vegetarian suitability was based on listed ingredients. Table availability was outside this research task; nothing was booked.

Instead of keeping three menus and price calculations in your head, you get one saved shortlist with a recommendation, alternatives and links you can check.

## Checking the result against the sources

We opened the official sources after Arlo finished and checked the menu prices, published hours and budget arithmetic.

**La Famiglia:** its [official site](https://lafamiglia1968.com/) lists Via Gaeta 66 and daily opening from 12:15 to 23:00. The [2026 menu](https://lafamiglia1968.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/EsecutivoMenu_LaFamiglia_2026.pdf) lists dinner service from 18:00 to 23:00, pasta at €10, tomato bruschetta at €4 and 12% service. Arlo’s calculation matches: (€10 + €4) × 1.12 = **€15.68 each**, or €62.72 for four ordering the same food.

**Fresco:** its [Termini location page](https://frescotrattoria.it/location/roma-termini/) lists 06:00–22:30. Its [food menu](https://frescotrattoria.it/location/roma-termini/roma-termini-menu/roma-termini-menu-eng-food/) lists the pasta at €10.50 and bruschetta at €8, matching Arlo’s **€18.50** example. The shortlist correctly keeps Friday dinner-kitchen service as something to confirm rather than treating general opening hours as a booking guarantee.

**Sfizio:** its [official site](https://www.sfiziotermini.com/) lists the Giolitti address and daily opening from 09:00 to 22:00. Its [hot-food menu](https://www.sfiziotermini.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Tavola-Calda.pdf) lists Tomato with Rice at €8.50 and Simple Salad at €5.90, matching the **€14.40** example.

The file also contains estimated walking routes from Termini’s main entrance. Our follow-up check covered the official menus, addresses, hours and arithmetic; we did not independently reproduce the routes or check live table inventory.

## The actual recorded usage

The task recorded **$1.12 of allowance usage**. The [billing extract](/examples/rome-dinner-run-receipt-2026-11-03.json) shows the spend rows and timestamps, including an entry recorded after the research finished.

| Research execution | Time in Europe/Rome, 3 November 2026 |
| --- | --- |
| Started | 09:45:52 CET |
| Completed | 09:48:24 CET |

Research execution took **2 minutes 32 seconds**, rounded to the nearest second. That measures the recorded research run, not message-delivery time.

Usage draws from the account’s allowance. It is separate from a restaurant bill and does not imply a separate $1.12 card transaction. This is one measured task, not a fixed price for future requests. The original research file is preserved as written; we verified billing separately afterward. See [how assistant usage and purchases differ](/blog/what-ai-assistant-work-costs).

## Give Arlo a research task

A useful brief gives Arlo a place, a date, a budget and the details you need checked. Ask for official sources and a saved comparison, then decide what to do with the result.

[Give Arlo your next dinner brief](/start): the area, date, group size, budget and dietary requirements. Ask for official menus and a saved shortlist, then choose where to book. The [delegation guide](/blog/how-to-delegate-everyday-tasks-to-ai) has more tasks you can hand over.

## Frequently asked questions

**Was this a real Arlo task?** Yes. We sent a fresh research request through Messages on 3 November 2026. Arlo completed the research and saved the Markdown shortlist. This was an Arlo team product test.

**What did the task cost?** The task ledger records $1.12 of allowance usage, including an entry recorded after research execution completed. The linked extract shows the attributed spend rows. This is one task’s recorded usage, not a fixed price or a separate restaurant charge.

**What did Arlo include in the shortlist?** Three dinner options with addresses, estimated walks, published hours, vegetarian menu examples, food-budget calculations and exact source links. It also marked details that needed confirmation before making a dinner plan.

**Did Arlo book a restaurant?** This brief asked for research and a saved shortlist. No reservation was requested or made, and live table availability was not checked.

---

# Can an AI book a doctor's appointment for you?

> Often, yes. If your doctor takes online bookings, Zocdoc or the practice's MyChart is fastest, and US adults can now book Zocdoc appointments inside Gemini. If the office only books by phone, an assistant that calls for you can do it. Arlo calls the office, gets through its phone menu, checks your calendar during the call and adds the appointment.

Updated: 2026-09-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/can-ai-book-a-doctors-appointment

Booking a doctor or dentist is the kind of small job that eats a morning: finding when the office is open, waiting to get through, then juggling their free slots against your calendar. Whether an AI can do it for you depends mostly on how your doctor's office takes bookings. Here's what works as of September 2026, from the fastest option to the one that needs a phone call. We make Arlo, one of the options, so read that part with that in mind.

## If your doctor books online

**Zocdoc** lists thousands of practices you can book directly. Since August 2026, US adults can also book Zocdoc appointments from inside the Gemini app ([PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zocdoc-brings-seamless-real-time-appointment-booking-to-gemini-302849229.html)).

**MyChart**, the patient portal many health systems use, lets you book some visits yourself and request others, depending on the visit type and your health system's rules. Cleveland Clinic, for example, only lets you book directly with a provider you've seen in person in the past three years ([Cleveland Clinic](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/resources/mychart-appointment-and-scheduling-troubleshooting)).

If your doctor is on either, start there. It's quicker than any call.

## If the office only books by phone

This is where an assistant that makes calls helps, and where it's worth knowing the limits.

**Google's Ask for Me** calls local businesses for you from Search, in categories like auto repair, salons, pet groomers and, since 2026, home repair. Its list doesn't include doctors or dentists, and it doesn't book appointments ([Google](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/16421135)).

**Instinct**, in early access, can put you on a dentist's cancellation list with its Concierge feature. **Catch**, an assistant for executives, calls clinics for you.

**Arlo** makes the call for you. You text it something like *"call Dr. Lee's office and book a cleaning next week, I'm free Tuesday or Thursday morning"*. A clear request like that is enough for it to dial. If something is unclear, such as which office you mean, it asks you first. On the call it introduces itself as your AI assistant, asks for a time, can check your calendar while it's on the line, and adds the appointment when the office confirms. If you told it to check with you, it can text you a quick question mid-call. If nobody answers, it leaves a voicemail. Afterwards it keeps a transcript, so you can ask how it went.

An office line that starts with "press 1 for appointments" is fine: Arlo presses through the menu and waits on hold if it has to. It calls US and Canadian numbers only, and it asks you first if it isn't sure who to call or what to ask.

## Privacy and what the office will ask

HIPAA covers doctors' offices that handle billing electronically, and the vendors they hire, not an assistant you hire yourself to make the call ([CMS](https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/burden-reduction/administrative-simplification/hipaa/covered-entities)). Offices are careful about what they discuss with anyone other than you, so expect questions about who's calling. Booking a time rarely needs medical details. Give an assistant your availability and the type of visit, and keep the rest for the appointment itself.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can AI book a doctor's appointment for me?** Yes, in a few ways. If your doctor is on Zocdoc you can book online or inside Gemini, and many practices let you book through MyChart. If the office only takes bookings by phone, an assistant that calls for you, such as Arlo, can book it.

**Can Google call my doctor for me?** Not that we can find, as of September 2026. Google's AI calling in Search covers businesses like auto repair shops, salons and home repair, doesn't list medical offices, and doesn't make bookings.

**Can Arlo book a dentist appointment?** Yes. Arlo calls the office, gets through the phone menu or waits on hold if it has to, asks for a time that fits your calendar, and adds the appointment. A clear request is enough for it to call, and it asks first if anything is unclear.

**Do I have to share medical information?** Usually not. To book, the office needs your name, the type of visit and when you're free. An assistant doesn't need your medical history to make an appointment.

---

# ChatGPT in iMessage — dot texting, setup and alternatives

> Yes, eligible US Pro users can text a ChatGPT dot through iMessage or RCS in a limited beta. Enable Texting in your dot's profile and verify your number. The Mac Messages plugin is a separate way to work with existing chats. Arlo is free to start for calls, bookings and reminders from a text thread.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/chatgpt-in-imessage

You can now text a ChatGPT dot from your iPhone if your account has access to the beta. OpenAI announced the iMessage and RCS rollout during the week of October 26–30. For an errand you want handled today, Arlo gives you another route through Messages, SMS or WhatsApp. Send it the business call, booking question or reminder you need taken care of.

We make Arlo. We checked the linked official documentation on November 4, 2026.

## How to text ChatGPT in iMessage

OpenAI's [dot setup guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001530-getting-started-with-your-dot) lists texting as a limited beta for Pro users in the US. Texting is unavailable in Business and Enterprise workspaces, even where dots themselves are available.

1. Open your dot's profile in the ChatGPT mobile app, desktop app or desktop web.
2. Select **Texting**, enter your phone number and request the confirmation text.
3. Enter the verification code, then use iMessage or RCS to text your dot.

If Texting is missing, your account does not yet have this feature. The beta supports one-to-one conversations. SMS and group texts are unsupported.

OpenAI's [rollout announcement](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/whats-new/dots-october-28-2026) describes text, photos and voice messages, with a link back to ChatGPT when an action needs approval. Your dot can use context from your ChatGPT conversations and connected apps.

## Three ways ChatGPT works with Messages

| Your goal | Route | What you need |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Text your ChatGPT dot from your phone | Dot texting beta | Eligible US Pro account, Texting enabled, iMessage or RCS |
| Search, draft or send in existing Mac conversations | Apple Messages plugin in Work or Codex | Apple silicon Mac and Messages permissions |
| Get help with a Siri request or writing | ChatGPT extension through Apple Intelligence | Supported device, language and region |

The [Apple Messages plugin](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/plugins) is available on all plans in the ChatGPT macOS app for Apple silicon. In Work and Codex it can read, search, draft and send through existing conversations after you grant access. Its default sending flow asks for approval, with an option to allow future sends to a particular chat.

Apple's [ChatGPT extension guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/turn-on-chatgpt-iph00fd3c8c2/ios) covers Siri and Writing Tools on supported devices. Choose the route that matches the job you want done.

If WhatsApp is your preferred channel, the [ChatGPT on WhatsApp guide](/blog/chatgpt-on-whatsapp) covers its separate service and eligibility.

## Give Arlo the errand behind the message

A missed call, an appointment to arrange or a question about a menu can become one message to Arlo. It can [call the business](/phone), navigate the phone menu, wait on hold and bring the result back to your thread. For account-specific work, connect the email, calendar or website the task needs.

For a completed example, we asked Arlo through Messages to research dinner for four near Roma Termini with vegetarian food and a €25-per-person food budget. It compared three restaurants and saved a shortlist with source links. The research took 2 minutes 32 seconds and recorded $1.12 of allowance usage. The original file and billing extract are in the [restaurant research case study](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study).

Arlo starts free. See [current pricing](/pricing) for the allowance and call rates. An illustrative first request is “Call the repair shop, check my pickup time and text me the answer. Ask me before agreeing to extra work.”

[Start free with Arlo](/start), connect Messages and send the task. Include the details it needs and any decision you want to make yourself.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can I text ChatGPT in iMessage on my iPhone?** Yes, if your US Pro account has the dot texting beta. Enable Texting in your dot's profile, verify your phone number and use iMessage or RCS.

**Why can't I find Texting in my dot's profile?** OpenAI is rolling out a limited beta. Its current help page restricts texting to eligible Pro users in the US and excludes Business and Enterprise workspaces.

**Does dot texting support SMS or group chats?** OpenAI currently supports one-to-one iMessage and RCS conversations. SMS and group texts are unsupported.

**Can ChatGPT read my existing iMessages?** Dot texting receives the messages you send to that dot. Separately, the Mac Apple Messages plugin can read supported conversations after you grant access.

**What can I text Arlo to do?** Send a call to make, a booking to arrange, research to complete or a reminder to schedule. Arlo works in Messages, SMS and WhatsApp, with separate connections for tasks that need your accounts.

---

# ChatGPT on WhatsApp: current access and alternatives

> OpenAI documents ChatGPT on WhatsApp for eligible European Economic Area numbers, with gradual rollout and usage limits. Verify the contact and your number’s country code. To hand over calls, bookings and connected-app tasks from WhatsApp, use a task assistant such as Arlo.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/chatgpt-on-whatsapp

If the old ChatGPT WhatsApp contact stopped replying, check current eligibility before trying a random replacement number. Your WhatsApp number's country code matters, and a web article about a previous rollout may no longer describe your account.

We make Arlo. OpenAI's current phone-and-messaging help and the linked provider documentation were checked 4 November 2026. Availability here is based on published guidance, not a test from every country.

## What OpenAI currently confirms

OpenAI's [1-800-ChatGPT help page](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10193193-1-800-chatgpt-calling-and-messaging-chatgpt-with-your-phone) says ChatGPT is available again on WhatsApp in the European Economic Area. It lists the verified contact as **+1-800-242-8478**, says availability is based on the WhatsApp number's country code, and notes gradual rollout and usage limits.

Use that official page to verify the contact. The statement does not establish that every number outside the EEA works, or that being physically in Europe is sufficient. If your number is not eligible, ChatGPT's own app and website are separate ways to use ChatGPT.

Historical reports about the January 2026 interruption explain why older instructions disagree. For today's setup, follow the current provider guidance rather than treating an old country list as permanent.

## Is this the same as texting a ChatGPT dot?

OpenAI documents two separate services. Its [dot texting beta](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001530-getting-started-with-your-dot) uses iMessage or RCS for eligible US Pro users. The WhatsApp service above has its own number and EEA eligibility. The [iMessage guide](/blog/chatgpt-in-imessage) explains dot setup.

## Choose the task as well as the chat app

| What you need | Where to start | What to verify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ChatGPT specifically in WhatsApp | OpenAI's verified contact | Number-country eligibility, rollout and usage limits |
| Calls, bookings or connected-app work | A task assistant such as Arlo, Pally or Poke | Required access, calling route and current plan |
| A reminder that arrives later | The assistant's supported delivery channel | Whether WhatsApp can deliver outside the active conversation |

The [WhatsApp assistant comparison](/compare/best-ai-assistants-for-whatsapp) covers those options. A product appearing in WhatsApp does not by itself prove it can make calls, read other chats or deliver every scheduled update.

## What Arlo does in WhatsApp

If your goal is getting an errand handled from WhatsApp, [Arlo](/whatsapp) can take the request and call the business for you. It also handles research and follow-ups in connected email, calendars and websites.

Example request: “Call the repair shop and check pickup hours. Do not approve extra work or charges.” Arlo can handle the conversation and report what happened. You can send a voice note, photo or document too; send one attachment per message. Arlo receives what you send it, rather than access to all your other chats.

Arlo starts free within an allowance. Its [pricing page](/pricing) lists current plans and call rates. In our [real research task](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study), Arlo compared three dinner options, saved a source-linked shortlist and recorded $1.12 of allowance usage. You can inspect the original file before giving it your own brief.

## Why a reminder may need another channel

[WhatsApp's business messaging policy](https://business.whatsapp.com/policy) distinguishes replies in the customer-service window from approved templates outside it. Later updates depend on that window, template availability and provider support.

For Arlo, normal replies work during an active conversation. Some later updates can use approved templates; other results may wait for you to message again before they expire. For recurring reminders, consider [Messages](/imessage) and check the channel in the confirmation. The [reminder guide](/use-cases/ai-assistant-that-texts-you-reminders) explains what to verify.

[Start free with Arlo](/start) and connect WhatsApp. Send the business call or research you want handled, with your budget and any decision you want to make yourself.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is ChatGPT still on WhatsApp?** OpenAI currently confirms WhatsApp access for eligible EEA numbers, with rollout and usage limits. Check its official help page for the current scope and your number's country-code eligibility.

**Can I text my ChatGPT dot on WhatsApp?** OpenAI currently documents iMessage and RCS for dot texting. Its separately documented WhatsApp service has EEA eligibility and its own verified contact.

**What is the ChatGPT WhatsApp number?** OpenAI lists the verified 1-800-ChatGPT contact as +1-800-242-8478. Confirm it through OpenAI's help page and check eligibility before sending information.

**Does being in Europe guarantee access?** No. OpenAI says eligibility depends on the country code associated with your WhatsApp number and may roll out gradually.

**Can an AI on WhatsApp message me first?** Delivery depends on the active conversation window, approved templates and provider support. For an important scheduled reminder, verify the delivery channel and confirmation instead of assuming every update can arrive on WhatsApp.

---

# Cognition bought Poke. What it means if you're buying an AI assistant

> On 23 July 2026 Cognition, the lab behind the Devin coding agent, acquired The Interaction Company — maker of the texting assistant Poke — in a deal reported in the low nine figures. Poke keeps running and gains Cognition's models and infrastructure; the stated rationale was to bring Poke's conversational style into Devin. The read for buyers: interface is now priced as an acquirable asset.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/cognition-poke-what-it-means

On 23 July 2026, Cognition — the AI lab known for the Devin coding agent — announced it had acquired The Interaction Company, the startup behind Poke, the assistant you text in iMessage. Reported deal value was in the low nine figures. Cognition said Poke keeps running and picks up its models and infrastructure, and that Poke's conversational style would be brought into Devin.

We compete with Poke, so read this accordingly. We are not going to tell you the product is doomed, because we have no reason to think it is and the claim would not survive contact with reality. What the deal does is change which questions are worth asking, and those questions apply to us as much as to them.

## What the deal actually signals

**Interface is being priced as a moat.** Cognition did not buy a model or a dataset. It bought an interaction style — the thing that makes texting Poke feel like texting a person rather than filing a request. That is a striking thing to spend nine figures on, and it says something true: the hard part of an assistant stopped being capability a while ago. Everyone's underlying models are good. Very few products are pleasant to delegate to.

**Distribution through existing channels keeps proving out.** Poke's traction came from living where people already type. Cognition put the figure at more than 100 million messages exchanged in the three months before the acquisition. No app to install, no new habit, no dashboard — the same bet we made with iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and the phone.

**Consumer and work assistants are separating.** Poke was built for one person's life. Devin is a tool for engineers. Merging the personality of the first into the second is a coherent strategy, but it is not a strategy about team workflows, approvals, or audit. That gap is the category question of the next year, and it is unrelated to how good any of these products are at their own job.

## The questions this should add to your checklist

If you are evaluating any assistant right now — ours included — an acquisition in the category is a good prompt to ask the boring durability questions:

1. **Who is the product for now?** Not at launch. A consumer product inside an enterprise company, or vice versa, is not doomed, but its roadmap now has to win an internal argument it did not have to win before.
2. **What happens to your data and integrations if the product pivots?** Ask about export. Ask specifically what you get back and in what format.
3. **Is the thing you're buying the model, or the interface?** If it is the interface, that is a real asset — the deal just proved it. It is also the layer most easily rebuilt by whoever owns the distribution.
4. **Does it fit how your team is accountable?** Personality is what makes an assistant usable. Approvals and an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) are what make it deployable at a company. Products optimized purely for one person's convenience tend not to have the second, because a single user has no one to be accountable to.

## Where we sit

Arlo is built for the team case: it runs across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, asks first on money or anything unclear, and logs every run. That is a different product from a personal texting assistant, and for one person's calendar and errands a personal assistant is often the better buy. We have said that on the [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) page since before this deal and it is still true.

If you were leaning toward Poke and the acquisition made you want to see the field again, the [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) roundup covers the options honestly, including where they beat us. For what an assistant costs to actually run once you're past the shortlist, we published [our own per-task numbers](/blog/what-ai-assistant-work-costs).

Details in this post reflect public reporting as of August 2026 and will age. Check Cognition's and Poke's own announcements for the current state.

## Frequently asked questions

**Who acquired Poke?** Cognition, the AI lab behind the Devin coding agent, acquired The Interaction Company — Poke's maker — in an announcement dated 23 July 2026, in a deal reported in the low nine figures.

**Is Poke shutting down?** No. Cognition said Poke continues to operate and gains its models and infrastructure. The stated rationale for the deal was to bring Poke's conversational style into Devin.

**Why would a coding-agent company buy a texting assistant?** For the interaction design. Cognition's stated reason was Poke's conversational style — evidence that in a market where the underlying models are broadly comparable, the interface and personality are what is scarce.

**Should the acquisition change which AI assistant I buy?** Not on its own. It is a reason to ask durability questions of any vendor: who the product is for now, what data export looks like, and whether the tool fits how your team approves and audits work.

---

# How to delegate everyday tasks to an AI personal assistant

> To delegate an everyday task to an AI assistant, state the outcome, constraints, accounts it may use and where it should stop for approval. Ask for the result and anything left unresolved. Start with a small task you can verify, such as checking restaurant availability or researching a return policy, before authorizing a purchase or cancellation.

Updated: 2026-10-28 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/how-to-delegate-everyday-tasks-to-ai

The best first request is a task you have been putting off and can recognize as finished. “Help me organize my life” leaves too many decisions open. “Find out whether I can return this order before Friday” gives an assistant a question it can resolve.

We build Arlo, a personal AI assistant you can text. The examples below are sample requests, not customer transcripts or measured results. They work as a way to assess any assistant's usefulness, including ours.

## Give it four things

| Part of the brief | What it answers |
| --- | --- |
| Outcome | What should be different when the task is done? |
| Constraints | Which dates, people, budget or requirements matter? |
| Access | Which account, website or conversation may it use? |
| Stopping point | What can it do now, and what must it ask you to approve? |

You can write all four in a short message. State real constraints, not an exhaustive checklist of preferences.

## Example: make a call

“Call the repair shop and ask when my laptop will be ready. The job reference is in the email I forwarded. Ask whether pickup before Friday is possible. Don't approve any extra work or charges.”

Arlo [makes outbound calls](/phone), navigates phone menus and waits on hold. A destination may be unavailable, a business may not answer, and the person answering may require you to verify your identity yourself. An attempted call does not prove the question was resolved. Ask how it went if the outcome is not already clear in your conversation.

For choosing between built-in phone features and delegating the conversation, see [AI that waits on hold](/blog/ai-that-waits-on-hold-for-you).

## Example: arrange a table

“Find two places for four people on Friday after eight, near the station. One person is vegan. Keep food around £30 each. Check availability and let me choose before booking.”

Start with options, then approve the reservation you want. Confirm any deposit and cancellation terms separately. The [restaurant booking guide](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-restaurant-bookings) explains what a useful completion looks like.

## Example: check a return

“Use my connected store account to check whether order 123 can still be returned. Tell me the deadline, fee and steps. Don't cancel the order or submit the return yet.”

This separates finding the policy from changing an order. A website may need you to sign in again or complete verification. Connecting an account is access to the task, not permission for unrelated purchases or account changes.

## Example: settle a group plan

“Ask this group whether Sunday lunch works. Follow up once with anyone who hasn't answered. Tell us which times work and who hasn't replied. Don't book anything.”

See [group planning](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-group-plans) for handling missing replies and private context. A shared conversation does not make people's private user memories available to the group.

## Check the consequence, not just the reply

Ask what happened, what did not happen and what is waiting on you. Useful outcomes are specific: an availability answer, a draft, a confirmed reservation or a clear blocker. “Working on it” is progress, not completion.

For consequential actions, look for the actual confirmation or changed record. If the assistant cannot confirm the result, keep the task open. Arlo's [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) provides a record to review; an audit record does not itself guarantee that the intended outcome was achieved.

## Start small and check the cost

You can begin with research without connecting every account. Grant the access the task requires, then expand only when the next task needs it. Check [current pricing](/pricing) and any third-party charges; calls, hold time and research can all consume allowance.

The same brief works for professional tasks: a meeting reschedule or a supplier question. Personal assistance is the starting point, and [work use cases](/use-cases) remain available.

## Frequently asked questions

**What should I ask a personal AI assistant first?** Choose a small task you can verify: check a return deadline, find two suitable restaurants or ask a business about availability. Give the constraints and say whether you want research or an action.

**Do I need to approve every step?** Your clear instruction can authorize the requested action. Arlo checks with you when the request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. State your preferred stopping point in the brief.

**How do I know a task is finished?** Look for the result: the confirmed booking, the sent message, the answer from the business or the changed record. A draft, a suggestion and an attempted call are different outcomes.

**Can I use the same assistant for personal life and work?** Yes. Arlo supports personal tasks and work in Slack and connected apps. Private user memory remains private unless explicitly promoted through governed sharing.

[Give Arlo one useful task](/start).

---

# Turn messages into tasks and reminders without losing context

> Send Arlo the relevant message and ask it to extract one clear action, keeping the details needed to finish it. Review the task, date, time zone and reminder channel, then save it. Arlo works through Messages, WhatsApp and Slack, so you can send or forward the relevant message from a channel you already use.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/turn-messages-into-tasks-and-reminders

"Can you get this back to me by Friday?" leaves out what "this" means when you read the reminder later. Save enough context to finish the job.

Send Arlo the relevant message and ask it to pull out one clear action. You get a task you can understand later, with the original request’s important details. Review it before saving; the [reminder guide](/use-cases/ai-assistant-that-texts-you-reminders) covers scheduling and delivery.

## Extract the action before choosing a reminder

| What the message contains | What to save | What to clarify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A request with a deadline | A concrete action and due date | Exact date and time zone |
| Information you need later | A reference attached to a task | Whether any action is required |
| A repeating obligation | A recurring task with its rule | Next occurrence and end condition |
| A possible appointment change | A task to request alternatives | Whether a change is authorized |

For messages with several requests, review the possible actions and choose one. Save "Send Sam the signed venue form" with the relevant source attached where supported.

## Use a brief you can review

An illustrative source message: "Please send the revised quote by Friday. Include the delivery fee."

An illustrative instruction: "Extract one proposed task. Friday means 6 November 2026. Propose a 9am Europe/Rome reminder in Messages. Show the task before saving. Do not reply."

An illustrative extraction: Action: send the revised quote. Owner: you. Constraint: include the delivery fee. Deadline: 6 November 2026; time unspecified, needs confirmation. Proposed reminder: 6 November 2026 at 9am Europe/Rome, through Messages. Status: proposed; task not saved; no reply sent.

These examples are not customer messages or completed outcomes. Supply the quote reference if needed; do not invent an address or attachment.

## Review the date, channel and next occurrence

Replace relative dates in older messages with calendar dates: "tomorrow" may have passed. Distinguish the deadline from the reminder: a form due at 5pm might need a reminder at 10am.

Give a time zone. For repeating tasks, read the next occurrence back as a full date and time. "Every first Monday" and "every four weeks" produce different schedules. Ask what happens after a missed occurrence.

Confirm where the reminder will arrive. Check whether the assistant saved the task, scheduled the reminder, or still needs information. Keep your existing reminder until unclear confirmation is resolved.

## Start with the message you already have

You can send the request through iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, or use Slack for work. Arlo receives what you send to its thread. Connecting an email account or other source is a separate choice; forwarding one request does not open your other conversations.

Share the part needed to define the task. If the message asks to move a booking, use the [rescheduling brief](/use-cases/ai-assistant-to-reschedule-appointments) before authorizing changes. Check [pricing](/pricing) for current Arlo allowances.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Paste the request and ask for one proposed task with its deadline and a reminder. Keep the context that will help you finish it.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can I turn one text into a reminder?** Yes. Provide the relevant text and specify the action, reminder date, time zone and supported delivery channel. Review the confirmation.

**Does forwarding a message connect my inbox?** No. Providing a message is different from authorizing an inbox or history connector. Arlo only receives what you send to its thread unless you separately connect tools.

**What if the message has no deadline?** Ask for a proposed task without inventing one. Choose a reminder time yourself or leave the task undated where supported.

**How do I check a recurring task?** Verify the recurrence rule, next full date, time zone, channel and stopping condition. Correct the schedule before relying on it.

---

# What an AI phone call costs: talking, hold time and plans

> Arlo charges 25¢ per talking minute and about 1.5¢ per minute on hold, using your plan allowance. Five minutes talking plus thirty minutes on hold use about $1.70. That is a calculated example; other assistant work and merchant charges are separate. Free includes a usage allowance to try real tasks.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/what-ai-assistant-work-costs

Arlo prices talking and hold time separately. In the example below, five minutes talking and thirty minutes waiting use about $1.70 of allowance, so you can see what a long queue adds before handing over the call.

The examples use Arlo's published rates, checked 3 November 2026. They are calculations with stated durations; the research case below has an actual recorded result and receipt.

For a measured research example, see [our real restaurant-shortlist test](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study): the task ledger records $1.12 of allowance usage. Open the saved shortlist and billing extract behind that figure.

## Walk through one call

Assume **5 minutes talking** and **30 minutes on hold**. Arlo's current rates are **25¢ per talking minute** and about **1.5¢ per hold minute**, as shown on [pricing](/pricing).

![Calculated call-cost example: five minutes talking uses 125 cents, thirty minutes on hold uses about 45 cents, totaling about 170 cents of plan usage.](/images/content/call-cost-walkthrough.svg)

*Calculated example using published rates. No call was placed to produce this illustration.*

The arithmetic is:

- Talking: 5 × 25¢ = **125¢**.
- Hold: 30 × 1.5¢ = **about 45¢**.
- Total call usage: 125¢ + 45¢ = **about $1.70**.

That is 35 minutes of call time in this example. Your actual talking and waiting time will vary.

## Three illustrative call costs

| Example | Talking and hold | Approximate call usage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A short question | 2 minutes talking, no hold | $0.50 |
| A question after a queue | 5 talking, 30 on hold | $1.70 |
| A longer conversation | 10 talking, 30 on hold | $2.95 |

All three use the rates above. Other assistant work can add usage, and actual call duration varies. If nobody answers or the business needs your participation, usage may still have been consumed without the requested booking or account change being completed.

## Allowance, subscription and purchases are different

Arlo's plans include a monthly usage allowance. A call draws from it; it is not an additional purchase of that exact dollar amount every time you dial. Check [current plans](/pricing), your remaining allowance and the rate before a long task. Unused monthly allowance does not roll over.

A restaurant deposit, ride, service charge or item bought for you is separate. Give Arlo a budget and a stopping point. It checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. Asking for opening hours does not authorize extra repairs or an upgraded service.

## What about messages, research and recurring checks?

Those use the same allowance. Research usage depends on the searches and pages involved; a short reply may need less work. The [restaurant-shortlist case](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study) shows one completed research task and its recorded usage.

A recurring check can consume usage even if it has no update to send. For reminders, confirm the schedule and stop unnecessary checks. The [reminder walkthrough](/use-cases/ai-assistant-that-texts-you-reminders) shows the details to review.

For calls, decide how long to wait and what should happen if the business needs you. Compare [hold assistance](/blog/ai-that-waits-on-hold-for-you) with delegating the conversation before choosing a service.

[Start free with Arlo](/start) and send the business, the question and a waiting limit. Check [current plans and rates](/pricing) before a long call.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much does an AI phone call cost?** It depends on the provider, talking time and hold time. Using Arlo's published rates checked 3 November 2026, five minutes talking and thirty on hold use about $1.70 of allowance, before other assistant work or merchant charges.

**Does hold time cost the same as talking?** Arlo prices them separately: currently 25¢ a minute talking and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold. Check pricing for current rates.

**Is the example an actual completed call?** No. It is a calculation with stated durations and published rates. It does not establish task success, average queue length or a real customer's bill.

**Does a plan cover a restaurant deposit?** Assistant usage and merchant charges are separate. A plan allowance is not permission to spend money on a booking or purchase.

---

# What is AEO (answer engine optimization)?

> Answer engine optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content so AI systems — Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude — quote it when answering a question. It differs from SEO in what counts as winning: SEO wins a position in a list of links, AEO wins a sentence inside an answer. A page can rank on page one and still be absent from the answer above it.

Updated: 2026-08-06 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/what-is-aeo

Answer engine optimization is what you do to get quoted *inside* an AI-generated answer, rather than listed underneath one. The distinction sounds academic until you watch it happen to a page you own: you rank fifth, an AI Overview sits above you summarizing the same question, and it cites three other sites. Your ranking didn't change. Your traffic did.

We run a content library of 60-odd pages and watch it closely, so most of what follows comes from our own measurements rather than from general advice. Where we're describing something we observed on one site over a few weeks, we say so — that's a small sample, not a law.

## AEO vs SEO: the difference that matters

SEO optimizes for a **position**. AEO optimizes for a **quotation**. They overlap — you generally have to be crawled, indexed, and reasonably well-regarded before anything will quote you — but the last step is different, and the last step is where most pages lose.

| | SEO | AEO |
|---|---|---|
| Unit of success | A ranked link | A cited sentence |
| What's rewarded | Relevance + authority | Extractable, verifiable claims |
| Winning format | Whatever the SERP rewards | Direct answers, procedures, tables |
| How you lose | Rank below the fold | Rank fine, get summarized around |
| Measurement | Clicks, impressions, position | Citations, brand mentions in answers |

The uncomfortable part is that they can move in opposite directions. An answer engine that quotes you accurately may *cost* you the click, because the reader got what they needed. That's the zero-click trade, and it's worth taking mostly for the queries where being the cited authority compounds — not for the ones where you needed the visit.

## What actually gets cited: mechanism, not pitch

The single most useful thing we've learned is that **AI answers quote the page that explains how something works, not the page that says how good it is.**

We checked a commercial query in our own category — an AI assistant that takes actions in Slack with human approval. Google's AI Overview framed the whole category around human-in-the-loop control and cited three vendors. All three citations were **documentation pages** that walked through the approval step by step. Our page ranked organically on the same query and was not in the answer. It was well-written marketing prose about the same feature.

The fix isn't more persuasive writing. It's converting the claim into a procedure a model can lift:

- **Not:** "Arlo keeps you in control with best-in-class governance."
- **But:** "A clear request runs, and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when the request is unclear, would move money, would delete something that can't be restored, or came from a web page instead of from you."

The second version can be quoted as an answer to "how does approval work in an AI assistant." The first can't be quoted as an answer to anything. That's the whole discipline in one example.

## Answer engines are not one audience

"AI search" is four or five different systems with different diets, and they fail differently:

- **Google AI Overviews** draw heavily on pages already ranking, so classic SEO is the entry fee. They appear and disappear per query — see below.
- **ChatGPT search** leans on Bing's index. If Bing barely knows you, ChatGPT effectively cannot find you, no matter how good your Google position is. This is the most common blind spot we see: teams measure Google, and are invisible on the surface their buyers actually use.
- **Perplexity** favors pages with clear structure and visible sourcing, and shows its citations, which makes it the easiest place to test whether your content is quotable.
- **Claude and Gemini** blend retrieval with training knowledge, so consistent, repeated, factually stable claims across the open web matter more than any single page.

The practical consequence: **check your Bing coverage before you write another word.** It's the cheapest AEO diagnostic there is, and for many sites it's the binding constraint.

## AI Overviews are not a fixed feature of a query

Worth knowing before you plan around them. On 2026-07-31 we recorded an AI Overview on a commercial query in our category. On 2026-08-06 we checked the same query and there was no AI Overview at all — the results had reverted to ten links dominated by the platform's own domain.

Nothing we did caused that, and we can't tell you which way it will go next week. The lesson is about strategy, not about that query: **don't build a plan whose success depends on an AI Overview continuing to exist**, and don't conclude a cluster is unwinnable because one appeared today. Re-check the actual result page each time you plan a round. Ours changed the diagnosis for a whole cluster in six days.

## Ranking without being read

Positions don't tell you whether anyone arrived. Across our own library we currently have several pages sitting in the top ten — including one at position 2.6 — that earn essentially no clicks.

When we dug in, the causes were mundane rather than mysterious, and they're worth checking on your own site in this order:

1. **The page is broken.** Our sharpest "great position, no clicks" cases turned out to be URLs that had started returning 404. Google was still ranking pages that no longer existed. Check status codes for your top-ranked URLs before theorizing about intent.
2. **The query is anonymized long-tail.** One page had 158 impressions at position 5.6 and *zero* named queries in Search Console — every impression came from a query too rare to report. There's often no title fix for this; it's a long tail behaving normally.
3. **The searcher wanted a different format.** Ranking for a term whose result page is all listicles, with a definition page, produces impressions and no clicks.
4. **Something answered above you.** The zero-click case people expect, and in our experience the least common of the four.

## A practical AEO checklist

Ordered by what moved things for us, most first:

1. **Answer the question in the first 40–60 words**, in plain declarative sentences, before any preamble. This is the block most likely to be lifted verbatim.
2. **Write mechanisms as numbered procedures.** Steps, conditions, and what happens on failure.
3. **Add a real FAQ section** with questions phrased the way people ask them, and answers that stand alone out of context — then mark it up with `FAQPage` schema so the pairing is machine-readable.
4. **Make claims checkable.** Dates, numbers, named limits. "Checked August 2026" beats "currently."
5. **Say where you're the wrong choice.** Honest limits are quotable in a way that superlatives aren't, and they're what a comparison-shaped question actually needs.
6. **Keep structured data truthful.** Wrong prices in JSON-LD are worse than none — that block is exactly what gets repeated back as fact. We shipped a wrong price in ours for months and it took three cleanup passes to fully remove.
7. **Publish an `llms.txt`** listing your main pages in plain text. It's an emerging convention rather than a standard, and it's cheap.
8. **Fix Bing.** For most sites this is an authority problem — referring domains — not a content problem, and no amount of writing substitutes for it.

## What AEO can't fix

If nothing links to you, AEO won't rescue you. Authority is still the gate: answer engines are drawing from indexes that rank by, among other things, who else vouches for a page. We can measure this on our own site — a competitor beating us on our best query has roughly 85 referring domains to our one, and no amount of well-structured prose has closed that gap.

So treat AEO as a **multiplier on reach you already have**, not a substitute for earning it. Structure your best pages to be quotable, and spend the rest of the effort on the reasons anyone would cite you at all.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does AEO stand for?** AEO stands for answer engine optimization — structuring content so AI systems like Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude quote it when they answer a question, rather than only ranking it as a link.

**Is AEO different from SEO?** Yes, though they overlap. SEO competes for a position in a list of links; AEO competes for a sentence inside a generated answer. You usually need the SEO foundation first, because most answer engines draw from pages that already rank or are already indexed.

**What kind of content do AI answers actually cite?** In our own checks, documentation-style pages that explain a mechanism step by step get cited over marketing pages making the same claim. Convert assertions into procedures — what happens, in what order, and what happens when it fails.

**How do I get cited by ChatGPT?** ChatGPT's search draws largely on Bing's index, so start by checking your coverage in Bing Webmaster Tools. If Bing has few referring domains for your site, ChatGPT effectively cannot surface you regardless of your Google rankings.

**Does AEO reduce my traffic?** It can. If an answer engine quotes you accurately, the reader may never click. That trade is worth taking on questions where being the cited source compounds your authority, and worth avoiding on questions where you needed the visit to convert.

**Do I need an llms.txt file?** It's cheap and harmless, so it's worth adding, but treat it as an emerging convention rather than a standard — no major answer engine currently guarantees it will read one. It is not a substitute for being crawlable and well-linked.

---

# Which AI assistants does ChatGPT's model name? We asked 36 questions

> Across 36 buyer questions asked on 23 September 2026, ChatGPT-style search most often named general assistants: ChatGPT itself (18 answers), Gemini (14), Zapier (11), Claude and Motion (10 each). Among assistants you text, Poke and Arlo appeared in 7 answers each, Pally in 4 and Homer in 2. Two questions, booking a doctor's appointment and staying on top of follow-ups, named no product at all.

Updated: 2026-09-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/blog/which-ai-assistants-chatgpt-recommends

A growing share of people ask ChatGPT which assistant to use instead of searching for one. Our own signups from ChatGPT answers went from none in July to several a week in September. So we asked it ourselves. We wrote 36 questions the way a buyer would, about texting an assistant, WhatsApp, phone calls, scheduling, reminders, work, errands and alternatives to popular products, and counted every product the answers named.

We make Arlo, one of the products in the count. We've reported our own numbers the same way as everyone else's, including where they're weak.

## How we did it

We sent each question once to OpenAI's API, using the gpt-5.5 model at low reasoning effort with its web search tool, on 23 September 2026. That is the closest programmatic stand-in for ChatGPT's search. It isn't identical: there's no account, no memory and no personalization, and answers change from one run to the next. Treat a difference of one or two answers as noise.

We counted a product as named if it appeared in the answer's text, from a list of 47 AI assistants and tools. We also checked each answer's bolded names for products the list missed; each of those, such as Selectic, Dana and Relevance AI, appeared once or twice and wouldn't change the top of the table. When a question asked about a product, as in "alternatives to Poke", we didn't count that product in its own answer. The full question list is at the bottom.

## Who got named

| Product | Answers that named it (of 36) | Named first |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 18 | 8 |
| Gemini | 14 | 3 |
| Zapier | 11 | 4 |
| Claude | 10 | 1 |
| Motion | 10 | 0 |
| Lindy | 9 | 2 |
| Reclaim | 9 | 1 |
| Poke | 7 | 1 |
| Arlo | 7 | 1 |
| Fyxer | 6 | 0 |
| Microsoft Copilot | 5 | 0 |
| Clockwise | 5 | 0 |
| Pally | 4 | 1 |
| Siri | 4 | 1 |
| Meta AI | 3 | 1 |

A typical answer named about four products from our list.

## What stood out

**ChatGPT recommends ChatGPT.** It named itself in half the answers, even for questions about texting an assistant or running errands. General assistants (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot) showed up across almost every category, often as the first suggestion.

**Ask about texting and the small players appear.** For the five questions about assistants you text, the answers named ChatGPT four times, Poke three times, and Arlo, Pally, Siri and Gemini twice each, with Homer leading one answer. Ask a general question instead, like "the best personal AI agent", and none of them appear.

**Scheduling goes to calendar tools, including one that no longer exists.** Both scheduling questions named Reclaim. One also named Calendly, Motion, Clockwise and Copilot, and the other named email scheduling agents such as Schedulera and Sarra. Clockwise shut down in March 2026, yet it appeared in five answers across the study. No texting assistant appeared for scheduling, even though several can schedule.

**Errands go to specialists.** Cancelling subscriptions and negotiating bills went to Rocket Money, with DoNotPay mentioned once.

**Two questions got no product at all.** "Can an AI book a doctor's appointment for me?" got general advice, and "an AI assistant that helps me stay on top of follow-ups" got an offer to do it itself. The real-estate question went to specialist tools we hadn't listed, led by Structurely and Quinn. "Is there an AI that waits on hold for you?" named Google Pixel's Hold for Me first, then ClawCall, Never Hold, Vibrato and No Sitting On Hold.

## What it read

All but three answers cited sources. The sites cited most often were arlo.sh (8 answers), OpenAI's help center, pally.com and Google's support pages (6 each), and zapier.com (5). Our own site's position says more about the question list than about Arlo. We've written pages that answer exactly these questions, so it was likely to be read. The more useful pattern is that answers leaned on product pages, help centers and a handful of comparison articles, and on Reddit less often than we expected (2 answers).

## If you're choosing an assistant

Ask the specific question. "What AI can I text to manage my calendar and email?" produced a very different list from "the best personal AI agent". Check the sources the answer cites, since they're often the products' own pages. And don't read one answer as a ranking. We ran each question once, and a second run would shuffle the order.

## What it told us about Arlo

Arlo was named in 7 of 36 answers and first in one, the question about alternatives to Poke. It appeared for iMessage and iPhone texting, for phone calls and for a daily briefing. It didn't appear for WhatsApp, scheduling, errands, Slack or founder questions, even though Arlo does several of those things. Answers most often named it as the work-focused option next to Poke, Pally and Homer. We'll run the same questions again and publish the change.

## The 36 questions

Texting: the best AI assistant to text on iMessage; an AI you can text like a person to get things done; the best SMS assistant for Android users; an AI to text to manage your calendar and email; the best iPhone assistant that works over text with no app.

WhatsApp: the best WhatsApp assistant that does real tasks; whether ChatGPT is still on WhatsApp and what to use instead.

Phone calls: an AI that makes phone calls for you; an AI that calls a business and books an appointment; an AI that waits on hold for you; whether an AI can book a doctor's appointment.

Scheduling: the best assistant to schedule a meeting with several people; an AI that finds a time for a group and sends the invite.

Reminders: the best assistant that texts you reminders; an assistant that messages you first with a daily briefing.

Work: the best Slack assistant that takes actions; the best AI executive assistant for a startup founder; the best AI chief of staff for a small company; the best AI assistant for a small business owner; an AI that follows up with leads.

Errands: an AI that cancels subscriptions; an AI that negotiates bills; the best personal assistant for errands and life admin; the best personal AI agent in 2026.

Alternatives: alternatives to Poke, Instinct, Meta's Muse, Lindy, Martin and Pally.

General: assistants that act in Gmail and Google Calendar; the most private personal assistant; an assistant that asks before sending emails; the cheapest assistant that actually does tasks; an assistant for real estate agents that works over text; an assistant that helps you stay on top of follow-ups.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which AI assistant does ChatGPT recommend most?** In our test of 36 buyer questions on 23 September 2026, ChatGPT-style search named ChatGPT itself most often (18 answers), followed by Gemini (14), Zapier (11), and Claude and Motion (10 each).

**Does ChatGPT recommend itself?** Often. It named ChatGPT in 18 of our 36 answers, including questions about texting assistants and errands, and it was the first product named in 8 of them.

**Which AI assistants you can text does ChatGPT recommend?** In the five texting questions, the answers named ChatGPT most often (4), then Poke (3), then Arlo, Pally, Siri and Gemini (2 each). Homer came first in two answers, about reminders and iPhone texting.

**How did you test this?** We sent each question once to OpenAI's gpt-5.5 model with web search on 23 September 2026 and counted the products each answer named, excluding the product a question asked about. It approximates ChatGPT's search but isn't identical, and results vary between runs.

---

# AI assistant vs workflow automation — the difference

> A conversational AI assistant like Arlo reasons per request, handles ambiguity, and works across your tools on demand, bounded by approvals and an audit trail. Workflow-automation and RPA tools like Zapier, Make, and UiPath are pre-built flowcharts you configure once — "when X, do Y" — running the same steps every time. Automation wins for deterministic pipelines; a colleague wins for judgment.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/ai-assistant-vs-workflow-automation

"AI assistant" and "workflow automation" get lumped together because both promise to take work off your plate. But they're different tools for different problems. Workflow automation is a flowchart you build once and run forever. A conversational AI assistant is a [colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) you message, that reasons about each request in the moment. Knowing which one you actually need saves a lot of wasted setup — and a lot of "why didn't the automation handle this edge case?"

## What workflow automation is

Tools like Zapier, Make, and UiPath are automation and RPA (robotic process automation) platforms. As of 2026, the model is the same across them: you define a trigger and a sequence of actions, and the platform runs those exact steps every time the trigger fires. "When a form is submitted, add a row to the sheet and post to Slack." "When an invoice lands, extract the fields and update the ledger." UiPath and similar RPA tools extend this to clicking through legacy software with no API — recorded, deterministic screen automation.

Builder-style tools like [Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy) sit a step further along: you describe an outcome in plain English and it assembles an agent, but you still design, configure, and maintain the flow before turning it loose.

What all of these do well is the same thing: they run a defined process, at volume, exactly the same way, without a human in the loop. That's their strength. It's also their limit. A flow only handles the cases you anticipated when you built it. Anything ambiguous, novel, or slightly off-script falls through — or breaks — until someone updates the flow.

## What a conversational AI assistant is

A conversational AI assistant works the other way around. You don't build a flow; you send a message. It's an [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent) that reads the request, figures out the steps itself, and does them — then adapts when the next request is different. Arlo is this kind of assistant: you reach it in iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, or on a live phone call, and it reasons per request instead of replaying a fixed script.

Because there's no pre-built flowchart, it handles the messy parts a flow can't:

- **Ambiguity.** "Follow up with the people who didn't reply, but skip anyone we already talked to this week." No trigger config could anticipate that phrasing — the assistant reasons it out.
- **Ad-hoc, one-off work.** The tasks you'd never bother automating because they only happen once. You just ask.
- **Cross-tool work.** Pull a number from one app, check a calendar, draft a message, and show it to you before it goes — in a single request, without wiring four integrations together first.

Arlo connects to 3,000+ tools, and for software with no API it logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms the way a person would. It remembers context across conversations and sends one morning briefing of what changed overnight.

## Governance replaces rigid rules

Here's the key part people miss. A flowchart is "safe" because it can only ever do the steps you drew. An AI assistant reasons freely, so it needs a different kind of guardrail — not rigid rules, but review. With Arlo, a clear request runs and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, would delete something for good, or came from somewhere other than you. Every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back later. You get the flexibility of judgment, a check-in where it matters, and a record you can defend — which is what makes it safe to point at real work.

## When each one wins

| Approach | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow automation (Zapier, Make) | High-volume, repetitive, deterministic pipelines where every run is identical | Only handles the cases you built; brittle on anything ambiguous or new |
| RPA (UiPath and similar) | Screen-driven automation of legacy software with no API, at scale | Setup-heavy and fragile when the underlying UI changes |
| Agent builders (Lindy) | Teams that want to design and maintain their own autonomous agents | You still build, configure, and babysit the flows |
| Conversational AI colleague (Arlo) | Judgment calls, ad-hoc requests, and cross-tool work you'd otherwise do by hand | Not the tool for a fixed pipeline running thousands of identical times a day |

The honest read: these aren't really competitors so much as different shapes of solution. If you have a stable, high-volume pipeline — the same three steps a thousand times a day — automation is the right, cheaper answer, and you should reach for Zapier or Make. If the work needs a judgment call, changes shape every time, or spans tools in ways you'd otherwise stitch together by hand, that's where a conversational AI colleague earns its place. Many teams run both: automation for the deterministic plumbing, an AI colleague for everything that needs a brain.

## Where Arlo fits

Arlo is built for the second job. It's a colleague you talk to across iMessage, [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), WhatsApp, and live calls, that reasons per request, works across 3,000+ tools, and asks first on money or anything unclear, with a full audit trail. It won't replace a well-tuned Zapier flow that moves rows between apps all day — and it isn't trying to. It replaces the pile of ad-hoc, cross-tool, judgment-heavy work that no flowchart ever captured, the stuff you were still doing by hand.

For a closer look at how Arlo compares to a builder-style automation platform, see [Arlo vs Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy).

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between an AI assistant and workflow automation?** Workflow automation is a flowchart you configure once — a trigger and a fixed sequence of actions that runs identically every time. A conversational AI assistant reasons about each request as it arrives, figures out the steps itself, and adapts when the next request is different. Automation is deterministic and cheap at volume; an assistant handles ambiguity and one-off work a flow was never built for.

**Can an AI assistant replace Zapier or Make?** Not for what those tools are best at. If you have a stable, high-volume pipeline running the same steps thousands of times a day, Zapier or Make is the right and cheaper answer. An AI colleague replaces the ad-hoc, cross-tool, judgment-heavy work no flowchart ever captured. Many teams run both.

**Is an AI assistant the same as RPA?** No. RPA tools like UiPath record deterministic screen automation for legacy software, and they break when the underlying UI changes. Arlo also works with software that has no API — it logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms — but it reasons about the goal each run instead of replaying a recorded script.

**If an AI assistant isn't limited to pre-built steps, what keeps it safe?** Review rather than rigid rules. A flowchart is bounded because it can only do what you drew; an assistant is bounded by governance. With Arlo, clear requests run and it tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Every tool call, source, and approval lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back later.

**When is workflow automation the better choice?** When the work is genuinely repetitive and deterministic — the same three steps a thousand times a day, with no judgment call and no edge cases you care about. Paying a reasoning model to re-derive an identical process every run is slower and more expensive than a flow that just executes it.

## Try Arlo

If your work needs judgment, handles ambiguity, and spans tools you'd otherwise juggle by hand — asking first when it matters, with a full audit trail — [try Arlo](/signup).

---

# AI assistants that make phone calls: AI and human options

> Arlo makes outbound AI calls for personal tasks, including phone menus and hold time. Pally also describes AI calling. Poke Human provides a person under Ultra, while Google Search offers some local business calls. Compare who speaks, the task and the total cost.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls

An [AI phone assistant](/glossary/ai-phone-assistant) can make a call for you. Start with who will speak and the result you need. An AI conversation, a human operator and a phone feature that alerts you after hold music are different services.

We make Arlo. The linked official descriptions were checked 3 November 2026. This compares published features and plans, not hands-on benchmark results.

## Choose the calling route

| Option | Who handles it? | What to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arlo | An AI follows your brief, navigates menus and waits on hold | Destination support, remaining allowance and your stopping point |
| Pally | Its calling guide describes AI business calls | Required details, usage limits and approval settings |
| Poke Human | A person handles errands under Ultra | Operator scope, included service and separate real-world expenses |
| Google Search business calling | Google's AI gathers local pricing and availability | Whether the option appears for your query and location |
| Phone hold assistance | You speak after the phone alerts you | Supported device, region and detection limits |

Choose Arlo when you want to send a call brief through Messages or WhatsApp and review the outcome in the same conversation.

## Arlo: hand over the call from your text thread

[Arlo's phone assistant](/phone) takes requests through Messages, WhatsApp or Slack. It can ask a business about availability, follow up on an order or handle an appointment question. It keeps the outcome and transcript with the conversation, and checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone.

An illustrative brief: “Call the repair shop, check whether my laptop is ready and ask their pickup hours. Do not approve extra work or charges.” Ask for the answer, voicemail or next step in the same conversation.

[Pally's calling guide](https://pally.com/guides/ai-that-calls-businesses-for-you) also describes calling businesses and reporting results. Its [pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) includes calls in its free offering with usage limits. Optional Cloud Mac and invitation-only VIP are separate choices, not requirements simply to start texting. See [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally).

## Poke Human: a person does the errand

Poke's [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) describes Poke Human as a real person handling calls, reservations, orders and other errands under Ultra. It is a relevant calling option, but it is not the same delivery model as an AI speaking to the business.

The FAQ lists Ultra at $199 a month, with real-world expenses charged separately. The [Poke/Pally comparison](/compare/poke-vs-pally) explains the distinction. Before an errand, check what the operator may agree to and what would cost extra.

## Google Search and holding on your own phone

Google's [business-calling announcement](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/deep-search-business-calling-google-search/) describes AI calling local businesses for pricing and availability from Search. Check whether the option appears for your location and category. Getting a range of available options is different from confirming an appointment change.

If you want to speak yourself, phone hold assistance may be enough. The [hold-tool guide](/blog/ai-that-waits-on-hold-for-you) compares that with delegating the conversation.

## Compare the whole cost and outcome

For Arlo, talking and hold time use the plan allowance at different rates. [Current pricing](/pricing) lists them; the [worked call-cost example](/blog/what-ai-assistant-work-costs) shows the arithmetic. Merchant charges remain separate.

Before a rescheduling call, tell the assistant whether to gather options or authorize a change. Preserve the old appointment until an acceptable replacement is confirmed. The [rescheduling guide](/use-cases/ai-assistant-to-reschedule-appointments) gives a brief with that stopping point.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send the business, the question you need answered and any budget or waiting limit. It can handle the conversation while you get on with your day.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which AI can make phone calls for me?** Arlo and Pally publish AI calling. Google Search documents business calls for pricing and availability. Poke Human is another option where a person handles the call under Ultra.

**Can an AI wait on hold and speak for me?** Arlo supports phone menus, hold time and following your brief with the business. Some issues still require your identity verification or a decision.

**Can Poke make calls?** Its FAQ describes Poke Human, a person carrying out calls and errands under Ultra. Compare that human-assisted route with an AI call.

**Can Arlo answer my incoming calls?** You can call Arlo to give it tasks, and it places outbound calls. It does not answer or screen other people's calls on your behalf.

**Does a call mean the appointment changed?** No. Check the confirmed date, time and outcome. Research, an attempted call and a completed appointment change are different results.

---

# AI Chief of Staff vs. a Human: What Each Does Better

> An AI chief of staff and a human do different jobs well. An AI like Arlo wins on always-on availability, perfect memory, and executing repetitive work across your tools — scheduling, follow-ups, briefings, and calls. A human wins on judgment, relationships, and ambiguity. Most teams pair them rather than choosing between them.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/ai-chief-of-staff-vs-human

"Should I hire a chief of staff or use an AI one?" is really two questions wearing one coat. A human chief of staff and an AI chief of staff are good at genuinely different things, and the honest answer for most founders and operators isn't either/or — it's knowing which work to hand to which. This page lays out where each actually wins, so you can decide without the hype.

## What each does better

| | AI chief of staff | Human chief of staff |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Availability | 24/7, instant | Working hours |
| Cost | Flat monthly fee | Six-figure salary |
| Memory | Perfect recall across everything | Strong, but human |
| Repetitive execution | Tireless, consistent | Capable, but it's a poor use of them |
| Acting across your tools | Yes, at scale | Yes, one thing at a time |
| Judgment on ambiguity | Limited | Its whole point |
| Relationships & trust | No | Yes |
| Discretion & politics | No | Yes |
| Making phone calls | Yes | Yes |

## Where an AI chief of staff wins

The case for an AI isn't that it's smarter than a good human. It's that it never sleeps, never forgets, and doesn't mind doing the same thing a thousand times:

- **Always on, flat cost.** It's there at 6am and 11pm, and it costs a fraction of a salary, so you can put it on work that would never justify a hire.
- **Perfect memory.** It remembers the account, the deadline, and what you decided last month, across every conversation and tool.
- **Execution at scale.** Scheduling, follow-ups, CRM hygiene, research, a morning briefing of what changed — the operational load that a human chief of staff is overqualified for.

## Where a human still wins

Be honest about the ceiling, because it's real:

- **Judgment in ambiguity.** When there's no clear right answer, a person's read of the situation beats a model's.
- **Relationships and trust.** Building rapport with a board member, a key hire, or a difficult partner is human work.
- **Discretion and politics.** Reading the room, handling something sensitive, knowing what *not* to put in writing — a human's domain.

## The honest answer: pair them

Most teams don't replace a chief of staff with an AI — they use an AI to cover the operational work so a human (or the founder) is freed for the judgment work. That's exactly what an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) like [Arlo](/glossary/ai-colleague) is built for:

- It handles the scheduling, follow-ups, research, and briefings across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and [phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls).
- It acts across 3,000+ tools, does what you clearly ask, and [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending): before it spends money, when a request is unclear, or when it can't be undone. So it takes work off your plate without taking decisions out of your hands.
- It keeps a full audit trail, so delegating to it never means losing track of what happened.

The parts an AI can't do — the judgment, the relationships, the discretion — stay with a person. The parts it can do, it does around the clock.

## Deciding for your team

Early and lean? An AI chief of staff often covers what you actually need before a hire makes sense. Scaling, with real political and relationship complexity? Hire the human and give them an AI so they're not buried in logistics. Either way, see how Arlo fits [for founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders) or as a [governed assistant](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending), or browse all [comparisons](/compare).

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an AI chief of staff replace a human one?** For the operational half of the job, often yes — scheduling, follow-ups, CRM hygiene, research, and a morning briefing of what changed. For judgment on ambiguity, relationships, and discretion, no. Most teams pair them rather than substitute one for the other.

**What does an AI chief of staff cost compared to hiring one?** A human chief of staff is a six-figure salary. An AI one is a monthly plan: Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. The practical effect is that you can point an AI at work that would never have justified a hire.

**What can't an AI chief of staff do?** Three things, honestly. It can't exercise real judgment when there's no clear right answer. It can't build trust and rapport with a board member or a difficult partner. And it can't read the politics of a room or know what shouldn't be put in writing. Those stay with a person.

**Can an AI chief of staff make phone calls?** Yes. Arlo places [live phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) alongside iMessage, Slack, and WhatsApp, with one memory across all of them — so a thread that starts as a text can finish as a call without re-explaining the context.

**How do I delegate to an AI chief of staff without losing control?** Governance rather than trust. Arlo does what you clearly ask, [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending) (money, anything unclear, anything that can't be undone), lets you tell it to always ask before certain actions, and keeps a full audit trail of every run — so handing over the work doesn't mean handing over the decisions or losing track of what happened.

**Should an early-stage founder hire a chief of staff or use an AI?** If you're early and lean, an AI usually covers what you actually need before a hire makes sense. Once there's real political and relationship complexity, hire the human — and give them an AI so they aren't buried in logistics.

## Try Arlo

Hand the operational load to an AI and keep the judgment for yourself. [Try Arlo](/signup) — an AI colleague that runs the logistics across your tools, with approvals and a full audit trail.

---

# AI colleague vs AI personal assistant — the difference

> An AI personal assistant helps one individual with personal tasks over a conversational channel like text or voice. An AI colleague like Arlo works for a whole team across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone, takes governed actions with approvals, and leaves a full audit trail. Personal assistants optimize for one person's convenience; colleagues are built for shared, accountable work.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/ai-colleague-vs-personal-assistant

"AI assistant" has quietly split into two products that share a name and almost nothing else. One is a personal assistant: a helper for you, over text or voice, that runs your calendar and errands. The other is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague): a teammate for a whole group that acts inside shared tools, asks first on money or anything unclear, and logs what it did. They look similar in a chat window. They're built for completely different stakes. Knowing which one you're actually shopping for saves you from buying a personal toy for a team job, or an enterprise system for a to-do list.

## What an AI personal assistant is

An [AI personal assistant](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant) is optimized for one person's convenience. You reach it the way you'd text a friend, and it handles the individual layer of your life: your calendar, your inbox, your reminders, your flight check-ins. As of 2026, products like Poke, Martin, and April define this lane well — signup is often just a phone number, there's frequently no app, and the whole experience is tuned to feel effortless and conversational.

That's a real, valuable product. If the job is "help me run my own day," a personal assistant is exactly right, and adding team controls would only get in the way. The design goal is friction-free help for a single user, and the best ones nail it.

## What an AI colleague is

An AI colleague answers to a team, not a person. That single shift changes what the product has to do. It has to work where the team already works — not just your texts, but Slack and the phone. It has to take real actions across shared systems. And because those actions land in front of teammates, customers, and sometimes auditors, it has to be governable: someone must be able to approve, review, and reconstruct what happened.

[Arlo](/) is built as an AI colleague. As of 2026 it runs across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls; connects to 3,000+ tools and uses no-API software through a secure browser session; keeps persistent memory; and sends one morning briefing of what changed. The part that makes it a colleague rather than a personal bot is the governance: it [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending), such as before money moves or when a request is unclear, and keeps a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) on every run.

## The real distinction

| Dimension | AI personal assistant | AI colleague |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who it serves | One individual | A whole team |
| Where it works | Text or voice, personal channels | iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, phone |
| Kind of work | Personal tasks and errands | Shared, cross-tool work |
| Actions | Acts for you | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Accountability | Optimized for convenience | Governed by design, full audit trail |
| Memory | Remembers your preferences | Persistent memory + morning briefing |
| Controls | Personal settings | Admin policy, roles, SSO (on request) |

The table isn't a scorecard — a personal assistant "losing" the accountability row is a feature, not a flaw, because a single user doesn't need to audit themselves. The point is that these are answers to different questions. One optimizes for how little you have to think; the other optimizes for how much a team can trust it to act.

## Who each is for

Choose a **personal assistant** if the assistant serves exactly one person and the tasks are personal: your calendar, your inbox, your reminders, your travel. You want it light, cheap, and out of the way. Team controls would be dead weight.

Choose an **AI colleague** when the assistant acts on behalf of a group and the work carries stakes — a founder's operations, a sales team's outreach, a brokerage's client comms. The moment an assistant sends something a customer sees, writes to a shared system, or spends money, "who approved this?" and "what exactly did it do?" stop being optional questions. A colleague is the product built to answer them.

## Why a team wants a colleague, not a personal assistant

You can hand a personal assistant to everyone on a team, but you'll feel the seams fast. There's no shared context across people, no way to approve an action before it goes out, and no record of what the assistant did in anyone's name. That's fine for personal errands and genuinely risky for team work. An AI colleague inverts the defaults: it assumes some actions need a check-in, so it asks first before money moves, when a request is unclear, or when something can't be undone, and everything it does — every tool call, source, and approval — lands in a trace you can read back later.

That's why Arlo treats governance as the base layer, not an upsell. Connections clear policy before each run, clear requests run while money and unclear requests get a question first, and the audit trail is always on. It's also why buying it scales for organizations: it's free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, and admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

For the head-to-head version of this distinction, see [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke), and for the category framing read the [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) and [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) glossary entries. The full [comparisons hub](/compare) lines up the specific tools.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between an AI colleague and an AI personal assistant?** An [AI personal assistant](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant) serves one individual with personal tasks over a channel like text or voice. An [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) answers to a team: it works across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone, acts inside shared systems, asks first on money or anything unclear, and logs what it did.

**Can I just give everyone on my team a personal assistant instead?** You can, but you'll feel the seams quickly. There's no shared context between people, no way to approve an action before it goes out, and no record of what the assistant did in anyone's name. That's fine for personal errands and genuinely risky for shared work.

**Is a personal assistant worse than an AI colleague?** No — they answer different questions. A personal assistant "missing" approvals and audit trails is a feature, because a single user doesn't need to audit themselves. Adding team controls to a personal assistant would only add friction to the job it's built for.

**Which one do I need?** Choose a personal assistant if exactly one person is served and the tasks are personal — your calendar, inbox, reminders, travel. Choose an AI colleague the moment the assistant sends something a customer sees, writes to a shared system, or spends money, because "who approved this?" stops being optional.

**Does an AI colleague cost more than a personal assistant?** Not necessarily. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, with every capability on every plan; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request. Personal assistants are often cheaper to get started with, which is the right trade when the job really is one person's errands.

**Which products are AI personal assistants and which are AI colleagues?** As of 2026, Poke, Martin, and April define the personal lane well — often no app, signup by phone number, tuned for one person's convenience. Arlo is built as a colleague. For the head-to-head, see [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke).

## Try Arlo

If your team needs a colleague — not a personal assistant — that works across your channels with approvals and a full audit trail, [try Arlo](/signup).

---

# Arlo vs April — which AI assistant fits your work?

> April is a simple AI executive assistant that lives entirely in text messages, built for one person's personal to-dos. Arlo is a governed AI colleague that works across iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, asks first on money or anything unclear, and keeps a full audit trail. April fits an individual; Arlo fits a team.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-april

You text both April and Arlo like a person, but they're built for different jobs. April, from goapril.ai, is a lightweight AI executive assistant that lives entirely in your text messages — no app to install, no dashboard to learn. Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) for work that runs across the channels your team already uses, takes real actions through governed tool access, and logs everything it does.

Want a simple personal EA you can text and forget about? April is a clean, honest choice. Want an assistant your whole team can lean on inside real workflows, that checks with you when it matters and keeps a full audit trail? That's the gap Arlo fills. Both are good products; they're just aimed at different people.

## What April is (as of August 2026)

As of August 2026, April positions itself as an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) that lives in the one app everyone already has open: Messages. From its public materials:

- It works entirely over text messages, with nothing to install and no separate app to open.
- It's aimed at individuals who want a simple, minimalist personal assistant.
- Its pitch is ease: you text it the way you'd text a human EA, and it handles the back-and-forth.
- Public pricing lists a free start (around the first 50 messages) and then a flat monthly plan (about $25/month) for unlimited use.

Public detail on April is limited, so treat the specifics above as its stated positioning rather than an exhaustive feature list. What April clearly does well is keep things dead simple: one thread, one person, no setup. If that's what you want, check April's own site for the current state before you decide.

## What Arlo is

Arlo is one AI colleague for the whole workspace, and there's no separate chat app to live in. It works inside the tools a team already uses: iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. It remembers context across conversations and sends a single morning briefing of what changed overnight.

It connects to Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools. For software with no API, it logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills out forms the way a person would. So the work isn't limited to what a chat integration exposes.

Governance is the part that sets it apart. A clear request runs, and Arlo tells you what it did. It [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending): when a request is unclear, before money moves, or before something that can't be undone. Each tool call, source, and approval lands in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can go back and read. That's a different posture than a personal texting assistant, and it's deliberate.

## Feature comparison

| Capability | April (personal) | Arlo (work / teams) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary audience | Individual consumers | Teams and businesses |
| Where you reach it | Text messages only | iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp |
| Live phone calls | Not a stated focus | Yes — it places calls for you, and you can call it |
| Persistent memory | Not a stated focus | Yes, plus a morning briefing of changes |
| Integrations | Not a stated focus | 3,000+ tools |
| No-API tool access | Not a stated focus | Yes — secure browser sessions |
| Approval before sending | Not a stated focus | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Audit trail | Not a stated focus | Full trace of calls, sources, approvals |
| Admin policy / roles / SSO | Not a stated focus | Yes, on request |
| Pricing | ~50 messages free, then ~$25/mo (as of 2026) | Free to start ($10 of usage a month) · Plus $20/mo · Max $100/mo |

This table reflects each product's stated positioning as of August 2026. "Not a stated focus" for April means its public materials emphasize a simple personal EA over text, not that a capability is impossible.

## Which one is right for you

Pick **April** for yourself. One clean text thread that handles your personal errands, scheduling, and reminders, with nothing to configure and no controls to babysit. If simplicity over a single channel is the whole point, that's exactly what April is for.

Pick **Arlo** when the assistant acts for a team and the work carries stakes. Its reach across Slack, WhatsApp, and the phone, plus its governance model, are built for shared, accountable work. When an assistant sends an email to a client, updates a CRM, or makes a call on your behalf, you want it to check with you when it matters and keep a record, and that's how Arlo works.

On pricing, both are straightforward but shaped differently. April is a flat personal subscription as of August 2026. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, and there are no top-ups to buy; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request for orgs that need them.

## Governance is the real difference

A personal assistant optimizes for one user's convenience. An AI colleague has to hold up in front of teammates, customers, and auditors, and that changes what the product has to do. Arlo does what you clearly ask and checks with you where it matters: before money moves, when a request is unclear, or when something can't be undone. The audit trace records what happened and why. That's why you can point Arlo at real, shared workflows and not just personal to-dos — and it's the honest line between the two products.

Still weighing options? See our head-to-head [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke), our roundup of the [best AI executive assistants](/compare/best-ai-executive-assistants), or the [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) explainer.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between Arlo and April?** April is a minimalist AI executive assistant that lives entirely in text messages, built for one person's personal to-dos. Arlo is a governed AI colleague across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. It asks first on money or anything unclear and keeps a full audit trail. April fits an individual; Arlo fits a team.

**Is April cheaper than Arlo?** For light personal use, often yes. As of August 2026 April starts with about 50 free messages and no card, then a flat monthly subscription — around $25/month when we last checked, though April doesn't publish the rate prominently, so confirm on its own pricing page. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage.

**Can April work in Slack?** Not as a stated focus — April's public materials describe a single text-message channel with no app to install, which is the point of the product. Arlo works in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), iMessage and SMS, and on live phone calls, with one memory across all of them.

**Can April make phone calls?** Making and taking calls is not a stated focus of April's public materials. Arlo places [live phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) and keeps a transcript of each one.

**Should I choose April or Arlo?** Choose April if the assistant serves exactly one person over one channel and you want nothing to configure. Choose Arlo when the assistant acts for a team and the work carries stakes — when it emails a client, updates a CRM, or spends money, you want it to check with you when it matters and keep a record.

**Is April's feature list really that limited?** No — "not a stated focus" in the table above means April's public materials emphasize a simple personal EA over text, not that a capability is impossible. Public detail on April is limited, so check April's own site for the current state before you decide.

## Try Arlo

If you need an AI colleague that works inside your team's tools that asks first when it matters and keeps a full audit trail, [try Arlo](/signup).

---

# Arlo vs. Catch

> Arlo and Catch are both AI assistants that work across chat and phone calls. Catch focuses on admin — email, scheduling, and outbound calls across Slack, WhatsApp, and iMessage. Arlo adds 3,000+ integrations including apps with no API, and deeper governance: a policy check and a full audit trail on every action, not just a consent prompt.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-catch

Catch is one of the few assistants that, like Arlo, refuses to live in a single channel — it works over chat and it makes phone calls. So if you've found both, you're comparing two products in the same rare category rather than a text-bot against a workflow tool. The differences are real, but they're about reach and governance, not about which one is "an AI assistant."

Everything below reflects each product's public description as of August 2026. Short version: Catch is a polished admin assistant for execs; Arlo is a governed AI colleague built to span a whole team's tools, including the long tail of apps that don't have an API.

## At a glance

| | Catch | Arlo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Email (Gmail / Outlook) | Yes | Yes |
| Slack | Yes | Yes |
| iMessage / SMS | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp | Yes | Yes |
| Phone calls | Outbound | Outbound, and you can call it |
| Integrations | 25+ | 3,000+ (incl. no-API via browser) |
| Asks before acting | Yes | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Full audit trail | Not stated | Yes |
| Pricing (as of August 2026) | $99/mo flat, 10-day free trial | Free to start ($10 of usage a month) · Plus $20/mo · Max $100/mo |

## What Catch is good at

Catch pitches itself as an admin assistant for busy leaders — "your admin savior." As of 2026 it handles inbox zero, drafts email in your voice, schedules and reschedules meetings, fills out forms, and sends a morning brief, and it can place outbound calls to sort out logistics ("I'll call and try to arrange early check-in"). It works across Slack, WhatsApp, iMessage, Gmail/Outlook, and your calendar, and connects to 25+ tools like HubSpot, Notion, and Asana. It's consent-based: by its own description it "acts only with the right context and permission" and asks when unsure. If your need is one person's admin load and you want WhatsApp, Catch is a strong, focused pick.

## Where Arlo goes further

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) built for a team, not just an individual inbox, and that shows up in two places:

- **Reach across your stack.** 25+ integrations covers the common tools; Arlo connects to 3,000+, and for the internal systems that never shipped an API, it logs in once through a secure browser session and operates them by hand. The work that used to fall outside an assistant's reach comes back in.
- **Governance you can audit.** Both assistants check with you when they're unsure, which is the right default. Arlo goes a step past the consent prompt: every connection resolves through policy before a run, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back. "It asked me" is good; "here's the logged record of exactly what it did and who approved it" is what an org needs before it lets an assistant act on its behalf.

Both can [make phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls); you can also call Arlo yourself, and it keeps a transcript of each call.

## How to choose

Pick **Catch** if you want a sharp personal admin assistant for one executive. Pick **Arlo** if you want one governed colleague across a whole team, with wide tool reach and an audit trail on everything it does. If you're weighing other options too, see [Arlo vs. Martin](/compare/arlo-vs-martin) and the full [comparisons](/compare).

Weighing the wider field too? See our roundup of [Catch alternatives](/compare/catch-alternatives) and the [best AI executive assistants](/compare/best-ai-executive-assistants).

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between Arlo and Catch?** Both work across chat and phone calls, which is rare. As of 2026 Catch is a polished admin assistant for one executive across Slack, WhatsApp, iMessage, and email, with 25+ integrations. Arlo adds 3,000+ integrations including apps with no API, and a full audit trail on every action rather than a consent prompt alone.

**Does Arlo work with WhatsApp?** Yes. You can text Arlo on WhatsApp as well as in iMessage and SMS, and use it in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) and on phone calls. Catch works in WhatsApp too, so the channel alone isn't a reason to pick either.

**Both assistants check with you — how is Arlo's governance different?** Asking when unsure is the right default and Catch does it. Arlo does what you clearly ask, asks first on money or anything unclear, and goes a step further: every connection resolves through policy before a run starts, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back. "It asked me" is good; a logged record of exactly what it did and who approved it is what an organization needs before letting an assistant act on its behalf.

**Which one makes phone calls?** Both. As of 2026 Catch places outbound calls to sort out logistics. Arlo places [outbound calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) and keeps a transcript of each one; you can also call it yourself.

**How does the pricing compare?** As of August 2026 Catch is a flat $99/month with voice calls included and a 10-day free trial — no seats, credits, or per-call fees. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, and a call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold. Admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

## Try Arlo

Arlo is the multi-channel assistant for teams that need deep integrations and a governed audit trail — not just a consent prompt. [Try Arlo](/signup) and connect the first tool you'd hand off.

---

# Arlo vs ChatGPT — texting, tasks, calls and pricing

> Arlo and ChatGPT can research, use connected tools and help with ongoing tasks. Arlo lets you delegate calls, bookings and reminders through Messages, SMS or WhatsApp. ChatGPT adds writing, coding and analysis, with dots for ongoing work and limited US Pro texting through iMessage or RCS. Choose by the job and the channel you want to use.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-chatgpt

An unanswered business call, a dinner to arrange and a reminder for Friday can all start with a text to Arlo. It handles the task from the conversation you already use. ChatGPT is also capable of research and action, and its dots now have a limited texting beta. Your choice comes down to the work you want to hand over and how you want the assistant to fit into your day.

We make Arlo. Official product documentation checked 4 November 2026 informs this comparison.

## What each assistant gives you

| Job or preference | Arlo | ChatGPT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Delegate from a text thread | Messages, SMS and WhatsApp | Dot texting through iMessage or RCS for eligible US Pro users |
| Call a business and handle the conversation | Outbound AI calls, phone menus and hold time | Outbound business calling is not listed in the current dot guide |
| Research and connected-app tasks | Research, saved files and connected tools | Research, plugins and a dot's cloud computer |
| Writing, coding and analysis | Available within your task | Broad tools in ChatGPT, Work and Codex |
| Ongoing work and reminders | Scheduled tasks and updates in supported channels | Dots and scheduled tasks, subject to plan and availability |
| Start using it | Free allowance, with paid plans for more usage | Free ChatGPT tier, with dots on eligible paid plans |

OpenAI's [dot guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001530-getting-started-with-your-dot) explains its connected apps, cloud computer, recurring work and controls. A dot can research and act across tools, and can use an authorized local computer. Its texting beta has separate eligibility from dots in ChatGPT.

## Choose Arlo for the call you keep putting off

Text Arlo the business, the question and the outcome you need. It can navigate the menu, wait on hold and talk on your behalf. A clear request could be “Call the garage, ask whether my car is ready and find out their pickup hours. Check with me before approving extra charges.” This is an illustrative brief.

The value is the completed follow-through. You can ask what happened in the same thread and use the result to decide your next step. See [how Arlo handles calls](/phone) and the [current call rates](/pricing).

## See a real task and its recorded usage

We asked Arlo through Messages to research dinner near Roma Termini for four, with vegetarian food and a €25-per-person food budget. It checked official sources, compared three restaurants and saved a Markdown shortlist. The research took 2 minutes 32 seconds and recorded $1.12 of allowance usage.

The [case study](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study) includes the original file and billing extract. This is one measured research task. Calls, larger projects and future requests can use different amounts.

## Choose ChatGPT for work in its broader workspace

ChatGPT is a good fit when your day revolves around writing, coding, analysis and projects inside its apps. A dot adds ongoing responsibility, connected-app context and a computer for multi-step work. Existing Pro users with dot access can try their included dot before choosing another subscription.

If texting matters, check your account first. OpenAI currently limits dot texting to some Pro users in the US through iMessage or RCS. Look for Texting in your dot's profile to check access. The [Messages guide](/blog/chatgpt-in-imessage) explains setup, the Mac plugin and Apple Intelligence.

## Access, price and permission

Arlo starts free within an allowance. Its [pricing page](/pricing) lists current plans, included usage and call rates. For WhatsApp requests, later updates depend on supported delivery windows and templates. Use the [WhatsApp guide](/whatsapp) to choose a suitable workflow.

ChatGPT pricing depends on the plan and product you use. Check [OpenAI's pricing](https://openai.com/chatgpt/pricing/) and the [dot eligibility rules](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001530-getting-started-with-your-dot) together. Access to a dot in a workspace does not automatically include the texting beta.

Both assistants need access to the accounts involved in a task. Arlo checks unclear requests, spending and actions that cannot be undone. Your private conversations stay private by default. Sharing information with a team requires a separate authorized action. ChatGPT documents configurable action rules and permission requests. Review the actual result and any request for approval before continuing.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send the call, booking question or research you want handled and the point where you want Arlo to check with you.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can ChatGPT work through iMessage?** Eligible US Pro users can text a dot through iMessage or RCS in a limited beta. The Apple Messages plugin separately works with existing Mac conversations after authorization.

**Can ChatGPT do more than answer questions?** Yes. Its dots can use connected apps and a cloud computer for ongoing work. ChatGPT also has writing, coding, research and analysis tools, with availability varying by product and plan.

**Why choose Arlo if I already use ChatGPT?** Arlo is free to start for personal tasks through Messages, SMS and WhatsApp, including business calls with phone menus and hold time. Try it on a specific errand and assess the result.

**Can a ChatGPT dot make a business call for me?** OpenAI's current dot guide documents voice conversations with your dot and says it cannot initiate calls to you at launch. It does not list outbound business calling. Arlo supports calls to businesses on your behalf.

**Does Arlo need access to all my messages?** Send Arlo the details it needs in your conversation. Email, calendar and other account access use separate connections. Private user memory stays isolated by default.

---

# Arlo vs Hark Pro — calls, texting and the Mac app

> Choose Arlo for personal calls, bookings and everyday tasks from Messages or WhatsApp. Hark Pro offers a Mac app, mobile apps, Projects and its Handoff browser agent. Both work with connected accounts; compare the route your task needs and the permissions required.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-hark

Need to call a business or handle an errand from your texts? Arlo lets you ask from Messages or WhatsApp, then handles the phone menu, hold time and conversation. Hark Pro now has a Mac app alongside its web and mobile apps, with Projects and the Handoff browser agent for organizing ongoing work.

We make Arlo. Hark Pro's linked product, pricing and policy pages were checked 4 November 2026. This comparison covers published features and plans.

## The differences that change the choice

| What matters | Arlo | Hark Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A call to a business | Outbound AI calls, phone menus and hold | No outbound calling described in the reviewed pages |
| Web tasks | Connected tools and a signed-in browser | Handoff browser agent |
| Starting cost | Free to start; see current allowance | Free offering; $20 / $100 web tiers for more usage |
| Before a purchase | Checks before spending money | Approvals depend on the permissions you give |

Arlo is reached through iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp and Slack. Hark describes web, Mac, iOS and Android apps; its reviewed pages do not list a direct texting channel.

## What the Hark Mac launch changes

Hark has an official [macOS app](https://hark.com/mac). If you prefer a dedicated desktop app for its Home screen, Projects and Handoff, that is another way to use Hark. Its [product guide](https://hark.com/using-hark) explains how Handoff uses a cloud computer for website tasks.

Arlo puts the request and result in your Messages or WhatsApp conversation. You can send it the errand when it comes to mind and return to the answer in that thread.

## When Arlo is the better fit

You want to ask from a thread you already use, particularly when the job requires speaking to someone. Arlo can [call a business](/phone), work through its menu and ask about a booking, opening hours or a quote. It can also help with websites and connected tools.

An example brief: “Call the restaurant and check whether six people can sit together on Friday after seven. Ask about step-free access. Bring me the options before booking.” This is an illustrative request, not a test result. A useful response should distinguish confirmed information from an unanswered call or an unavailable table.

You can inspect a completed job in our [restaurant research case study](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study). Arlo checked three dinner options, saved the shortlist with sources and recorded $1.12 of allowance usage. For your own task, give it the constraints that matter and the result you need. Slack is available for work too.

## When Hark Pro is the better fit

Hark's published workflow centers on its app, proactive home screen and browser agent. That suits someone who wants to organize errands and projects there and review activity in that interface. Its homepage names travel, shopping, email and restaurant tasks.

## Price the whole task

Hark's [pricing page](https://hark.com/pricing) lists free use with all features, $20 a month for twice the usage and $100 for ten times. Check its current checkout, particularly if subscribing through an app store. Its published multipliers do not tell us how many errands your allowance will cover.

Arlo starts free. [Arlo pricing](/pricing) lists the current monthly allowance and call rates, with talking and hold time priced separately. A restaurant deposit, ticket or purchase is separate from assistant usage.

## Permissions, privacy and the result

Arlo checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. Its [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) records actions and approvals. Your private conversations stay private by default. Sharing information with a team is a separate, authorized action recorded in the audit trail.

Hark's [terms](https://hark.com/terms) describe actions based on the permissions you grant. Its [privacy policy](https://hark.com/privacy-policy) excludes account content from model training except feedback you submit. We have not independently audited Hark, and this comparison does not rank either product's security.

Start with a small task and a clear stopping point. Read what happened before treating research as a booking or an attempted call as a resolved question.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send the business, your question and where it should stop. You can hand over the queue and conversation without opening another task app.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the main difference between Arlo and Hark Pro?** Arlo is an assistant you can text for personal tasks, including outbound calls. Hark Pro centers on its app and Handoff browser agent. Both can act through connected accounts; the useful distinction is your task and preferred interface.

**Which can make a phone call for me?** Arlo publishes outbound AI calling. The Hark product pages reviewed do not describe outbound business calling. Check current support for your destination and the outcome you need.

**Does Hark have a Mac app?** Yes. Hark publishes a macOS app on its official download page, alongside its web and mobile apps. Its Handoff browser agent uses a cloud computer for website tasks.

**Can I use Hark Pro without paying?** Its pricing page lists free use with all features, with paid tiers for more usage. Check your account's current limits. Arlo also starts free within an allowance.

**Which one should I try first?** Try Arlo for a call or a task you want to delegate by text. Try Hark if its proactive app and browser workflow suit you. Compare one small task before connecting more accounts.

---

# Arlo vs Instinct AI — two AI assistants you text that act for you

> Arlo and Instinct AI are both assistants you text that take real actions and make phone calls. Arlo is built for work across iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack and calls, does what you clearly ask and asks first on money or anything unclear, keeps an audit trail, and anyone can start it today. As of October 2026 Instinct is invite-only, free, and licensed for personal use.

Updated: 2026-10-07 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-instinct

Instinct AI, the AI assistant from Spear Street Technology, and Arlo answer the same question: what if you could text an assistant and it simply did the thing? Both place calls, work across your accounts, and keep going between your messages. They differ on who they're for and on how much you get to see and approve along the way. Instinct is built for personal life. Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) built for work, where the email goes out in a company's name and somebody may need to check later what happened.

This comparison is written by Arlo. Instinct's facts below come from its own site, its terms of service (revised 26 August 2026 and unchanged since) and dated reporting, as of October 2026, and we say where it's the better pick.

## What Instinct is (as of October 2026)

- **Made by** Spear Street Technology, Inc. in San Francisco, founded by Noah Shinn. On 28 September 2026 it raised a $1 billion Series C at a $10 billion valuation from Sequoia, Benchmark and Coatue, a month after its $2.5 billion Series B, bringing its total funding to about $1.35 billion ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/viral-ai-agent-instinct-raises-1b-series-c-at-a-10b-valuation/)).
- **Channels:** you text it on iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, or call it, and it can text or call you first. Each Instinct has its own email address. Group chats, where friends without an account can join in, arrived in early access on 5 October 2026 ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/05/instinct-brings-its-ai-agent-to-group-chats-even-for-friends-without-an-account/)). Calls it places to businesses for you, through its Concierge service, are still limited to some early-access users ([Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/tech/ai-agents-make-phone-calls), 3 October 2026).
- **How it works:** its own phone number and its own computer in the cloud, which uses the logins you give it and keeps working between messages. It has no mobile app; you text it, and its settings and data controls are on the web.
- **Access and price:** invite-only early access with a waitlist, and each member gets five invites to share ([Fortune](https://fortune.com/2026/09/30/noah-shinn-instinct-ai-assistant-meta-muse-alexandr-wang-tech-series-c-ai-agent-mark-zuckerberg/), 30 September 2026). It's free, with no published pricing, and its terms allow for fees later.
- **Who it's for:** built for personal life. It coordinates with friends' Instincts and in group chats, but has no team workspace, admin controls or business plan, and its terms license it "for your personal use only".
- **Shopping:** purchases go through Stripe Link, which creates a one-time card after you approve the purchase ([Simon Taylor](https://x.com/sytaylor/status/2093637347510309331), 29 August 2026). Since a Shopify partnership on 28 September it finds products across Shopify stores and sets up the order for you to check out with Shop Pay ([PYMNTS](https://www.pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2026/shopify-opens-store-checkouts-to-ai-agents/)). On 29 September it launched Instinct Selections, curated product recommendations, and some users objected to the unsolicited suggestions ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/instincts-new-product-recommendations-are-giving-some-users-the-ick/), 30 September 2026).

## What Arlo is

Arlo is an assistant you text on [iMessage](/imessage), SMS or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), use inside [Slack](/slack), or hand a [phone call](/phone) to. It places calls to people and businesses, and can work through phone menus and wait on hold. It connects to Gmail, your calendar, Slack, Notion, Linear, HubSpot and 3,000+ other tools, and reaches sites with no API through a secure browser session you sign into once. When you ask clearly, it does the work and tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend your money or can't be undone, and every tool call, source and approval is written to an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back. It [texts you first](/proactive) with briefs and reminders over iMessage and SMS. It's free to start, with no card, then runs on monthly plans from $20.

## Feature comparison

| | Arlo | Instinct |
|---|---|---|
| Can you start today? | Yes | Invite only: five invites per member, plus a waitlist |
| Built for | Work — founders, operators, teams | Personal life; coordinates with friends' Instincts and in group chats, with no team workspace or admin controls |
| Where you talk to it | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp; group chats in early access |
| Phone calls | Places calls to people and businesses, through phone menus and hold | You can call it and it can call you; calls to businesses in early access |
| Acts across your accounts | 3,000+ tools plus browser sessions | A cloud computer using your logins |
| Checks with you before acting | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear; you can tell it to always ask before certain actions | Asks when it needs input; purchases need your approval through Stripe Link, and you check out Shopify orders yourself with Shop Pay |
| Record of what it did | Audit trail of every tool call, source and approval | Records available through the service; its terms say they "may not always be accurate" |
| Price | Free to start, then plans from $20 a month | Free, no published pricing |

The Instinct column reflects its public site, terms and dated reporting as of October 2026. Both products change quickly.

## Where Instinct is the better pick

- **Your own errands, at no cost today.** If you have an invite and the job is personal — groceries, tickets, a weekend away, a bill dispute — Instinct is built for exactly that, and it's free.
- **Shopping and travel.** Shinn says users put close to $1 billion a year through it, about half of it travel ([Fortune](https://fortune.com/2026/09/30/noah-shinn-instinct-ai-assistant-meta-muse-alexandr-wang-tech-series-c-ai-agent-mark-zuckerberg/), 30 September 2026). It pays with one-time Stripe Link cards, sets up Shopify orders for Shop Pay checkout, and handles high-end bookings through Concierge in early access.
- **Plans with friends and family.** Your Instinct can coordinate with the Instincts of people you trust, join group chats where friends don't need an account (in early access), and share itineraries and expense splits as pages anyone can open.
- **Hands-off autonomy.** Instinct is designed to carry a long errand on its own with few check-ins, and users credit it with noticing things unprompted, like a calendar conflict. If you want to hand something off and hear back when it's done, that's its whole design.
- **Pace.** It's among the best-funded products in the category and ships new capabilities most weeks.

## Where Arlo is the better pick

- **You can start now.** No invite, no waitlist. Instinct members get five invites each, and everyone else waits.
- **The work involves other people.** Arlo runs inside Slack as well as your texts and connects to the shared tools a company uses. Instinct coordinates with friends' Instincts and in group chats, but it has no team workspace, admin controls or business plan, and its terms license it "for your personal use only".
- **You want a price you can plan around.** Arlo publishes its [pricing](/pricing). Instinct has none yet, its terms allow fees later, and it hasn't said how it will make money.

For the rest of the field — Pally, Muse, Poke, Martin and OpenClaw — see [Instinct AI alternatives you can use today](/compare/instinct-alternatives). For how Instinct compares with Meta's agent, see [Instinct vs Muse](/compare/instinct-vs-muse).

## Instinct's safety record so far

Instinct's terms appoint it as your agent and say commitments it makes "shall be binding on you as if entered into directly by you", without guaranteeing that its safeguards prevent mistakes. The public incidents so far, by date:

- **24 August 2026:** early users told [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/24/instincts-powerful-ai-assistant-is-raising-privacy-and-security-concerns/) about an email sent without checking first, and about emails kept after Gmail was disconnected. Instinct later added a way to delete them.
- **23 September 2026:** a user posted what looked like a stranger's financial document. Shinn said it was a hallucination: "This was not a data breach, no user data was shared." He announced a hallucination-detection layer the same day ([Shinn on X](https://x.com/noahrshinn/status/2102896837522804954); [Business Insider via Yahoo](https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/deals/articles/instincts-founder-says-viral-ai-063054528.html), 24 September 2026).
- **24 September 2026:** Business Insider reported that Instinct read a Luma one-time login code from a user's Gmail without asking, used it to cancel RSVPs, and then misdescribed what it had done ([summary via Yahoo](https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/meta-ai/articles/hallucinations-2fa-prompts-hidden-access-172455494.html), 25 September 2026).

Instinct trains on your materials unless you opt out in its settings, and disconnecting an account doesn't delete what it indexed; deletion is a separate request. Arlo's [privacy policy](/privacy) says it doesn't use your messages, files, memories, calls or connected-account content to train AI models.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between Arlo and Instinct AI?** Both are AI assistants you text that take real actions and make phone calls. Instinct is built for personal life, runs a cloud computer for your errands, and as of October 2026 is invite-only and free. Arlo is built for work across iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack and phone calls, does what you clearly ask, asks first on money or anything unclear, keeps an audit trail, and anyone can start it today.

**How much does Instinct AI cost?** Nothing for now. As of October 2026 Instinct has no published price, plans or usage limits, and its terms say some features may carry fees later. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month and no card, then runs on monthly plans from $20.

**Is Instinct AI legit?** Yes. It's made by Spear Street Technology, founded by Noah Shinn, and on 28 September 2026 it raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation from Sequoia, Benchmark and Coatue ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/viral-ai-agent-instinct-raises-1b-series-c-at-a-10b-valuation/)). It's also early: invite-only, unpriced, and changing week to week.

**Is Instinct AI safe?** It acts for you with real authority. Its terms make commitments it enters binding on you and don't guarantee its safeguards catch every mistake. Users have reported it sending an email without checking first and reading a login code from Gmail without asking, and it trains on your materials unless you opt out. Whichever assistant you choose, check whether it asks before sending, keeps a record you can trust, and deletes your data when you disconnect.

**Can I use Instinct for work?** Its terms, revised 26 August 2026, license it "for your personal use only". It can coordinate with coworkers' Instincts and has its own email address you can CC, but it has no team workspace, admin controls or business plan. Arlo is built for work, including inside Slack with a team.

**Does Instinct ask before it sends things or buys?** For purchases, yes: Stripe Link creates a one-time card only after you approve, and you check out Shopify orders yourself with Shop Pay. For other actions it checks in when it needs input, its terms say confirmations may not catch every mistake, and users have reported an email sent and a login code read without asking. Arlo does what you clearly ask, shows you its own wording before it goes to someone you know who hasn't seen it, and asks first on money or anything unclear.

**Is Arlo invite-only like Instinct?** No. Anyone can start Arlo today by texting it, with no invite or waitlist. Instinct members get five invites each, and everyone else joins a waitlist.

**Does Instinct AI work on WhatsApp?** Yes. Once you have an invite or a spot off the waitlist, you can text Instinct on WhatsApp as well as iMessage and SMS. Arlo works on WhatsApp too, alongside iMessage, SMS and Slack.

**What are the best Instinct AI alternatives?** For work, Arlo. For personal life without an invite: Pally, free with every feature; Muse, Meta's free agent in the US and Canada; Poke; Martin; and OpenClaw if you host it yourself. See [Instinct AI alternatives you can use today](/compare/instinct-alternatives) and [Instinct vs Muse](/compare/instinct-vs-muse).

---

# Arlo vs Lindy: AI colleague vs workflow automation

> Lindy is a workflow-automation platform where you build AI agents that run business processes. Arlo is a conversational AI colleague you talk to directly in iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, asking first on money or anything unclear, with a full audit trace on every action.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-lindy

The split is simple. With Lindy you build agents and turn them loose. With Arlo you message a [colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) and it acts under rules you set. Lindy's pitch is "define an outcome, configure an agent, let it run." Arlo's is "text a teammate" in iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, or on a phone call. If you enjoy assembling autonomous agents, Lindy is built for you. If you'd rather not open a builder at all, keep reading.

## What Lindy is

Lindy (lindy.ai) calls itself an AI agent platform for autonomous digital workers. As of June 2026, the core pieces are an Agent Builder (describe a task in plain English, it assembles an agent for you), Autopilot for clicking through tools that have no API, and team accounts with role-based sharing. People run Lindy agents for email triage, scheduling, CRM updates, and lead qualification, and one agent can hand work to another. Lindy advertised thousands of integrations and, from October 2025, a phone agent; as of September 2026 its site no longer mentions calling. Pricing is credit-based and per seat as of September 2026: no free tier, a 7-day trial through Slack, per-user plans from around $29.99/month up to a Max tier, and custom Enterprise pricing.

What Lindy does well is configurable automation. You design the agents and the triggers, then watch them run.

## What Arlo is

Arlo isn't a builder. It's a coworker you talk to, and it lives where you already work:

- iMessage and SMS
- Slack
- WhatsApp
- Live phone calls

It remembers what you've told it, sends a morning briefing of what changed overnight, and connects to Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools. When something has no API, Arlo logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms the way a person would. You never configure a workflow. You send a message and it goes.

## Governance and audit

This is where the two products really diverge. With Arlo, governance is built in. Every connection runs through a policy check before each run. A clear request runs and Arlo tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and you can tell it to always ask before certain actions. Every tool call, source, and approval lands in an audit trace you can read back later. If you need a check-in where it matters and a record you can defend, that's the whole reason Arlo works the way it does.

## Feature comparison

| Capability | Arlo | Lindy (as of June 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary model | Conversational AI colleague you message | Workflow-automation / agent-builder platform |
| Where you interact | iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, live calls | Web app, configured agents, chat/voice channels |
| Setup style | Talk to it like a teammate | Build and configure agents and workflows |
| Tools without an API | Secure browser session (logs in, clicks, fills) | Computer-use / Autopilot |
| Governed approvals | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear | Role-based team accounts |
| Audit trace | Full trace of every call, source, approval | Varies by plan |
| Persistent memory + briefing | Yes, with morning briefing | Agents learn preferences |
| Pricing | Free to start ($10 of usage a month) · Plus $20/mo · Max $100/mo | Per-seat plans with a 7-day trial; Enterprise custom |

## Which should you choose

Go with Lindy if you want to build autonomous agents that run defined processes and you don't mind configuring and maintaining them. Pick Arlo if you'd rather message one colleague across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and the phone, that asks first on money or anything unclear and logs everything it does. The conversational model tends to win over founders, realtors, and sales teams who don't want another dashboard to babysit. See [AI assistant for founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), [for realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors), and [for sales](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales), or read up on the [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) and browse our [resources](/resources).

Weighing other options too? See our roundup of [Lindy alternatives](/compare/lindy-alternatives), our [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) overview, and the [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) head-to-head.

On pricing, Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, and there are no top-ups to buy; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between Arlo and Lindy?** Lindy is a workflow-automation and agent-builder platform: you define an outcome, configure an agent, and let it run. Arlo is a conversational AI colleague you message directly in iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, or on a live phone call. It asks first on money or anything unclear and keeps a full audit trace on every action.

**Do I have to build anything to use Arlo?** No. There is no builder and no flow to configure — you message it like a teammate and it reasons out the steps per request. With Lindy you design, configure, and maintain the agents before turning them loose, which is the point of an agent-builder platform.

**Can Lindy use software that has no API?** Yes — as of June 2026 Lindy offers computer-use / Autopilot for that. Arlo does it by logging in once through a secure browser session and clicking, reading, and filling forms the way a person would.

**Which is better for a team that needs approvals?** Arlo does what you clearly ask and asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. You can tell it to always ask before certain actions, and every call, source, and approval lands in a [full audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). Lindy offers role-based team accounts, and its audit capability varies by plan.

**How does pricing compare?** Differently in kind. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. Lindy sells per-seat plans with a 7-day trial and custom enterprise pricing; as of September 2026 its published per-user plans run roughly $29.99–$199.99/month.

**Should I use Arlo or Lindy?** Pick Lindy if you want to design and maintain your own autonomous agents for defined business processes. Pick Arlo if you'd rather not open a builder at all and want a colleague you talk to, with governance built in. See also [AI assistant vs workflow automation](/compare/ai-assistant-vs-workflow-automation).

## Try Arlo

Want an AI colleague you just talk to across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and live calls, with approvals and an audit trace on everything it touches? [Get started with Arlo](/signup).

---

# Arlo vs Martin — personal AI assistants compared

> Arlo and Martin are personal AI assistants that support everyday tasks and work. Arlo helps with calls, bookings, websites and group plans through iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, and also Slack. Martin emphasizes calendar, inbox and reminder assistance through text, calls, email and Slack. Choose by the task and current channel support.

Updated: 2026-10-28 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-martin

Both products can help one person manage the tasks around their day. Arlo is not restricted to teams, and Martin's personal-assistant positioning does not mean it cannot help with work.

We make Arlo. Martin's [official site](https://www.trymartin.com/) was checked October 2026 on 28 October. This comparison describes published features, not measured head-to-head performance.

## Compare the job

| Need | Arlo | Martin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Everyday assistance | Calls, bookings, research, websites and group plans | Calendar, inbox, reminders and related personal tasks |
| Ways to reach it | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, phone and Slack | Text, calls, email and Slack, as described on its site |
| Email and calendar | Uses connected accounts with the access granted | Prominent in its scheduling and inbox features |
| Using websites | Secure browser access to accounts you connect | Verify support for the particular website you need |
| Work use | Individual professional tasks and team tools | Personal productivity and connected work tools |

A channel listing is not a guarantee that an assistant can finish every task from that channel. Check the relevant account connection and ask what access is needed.

## When to try Arlo

Try Arlo for a [restaurant availability check](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-restaurant-bookings), a call you have been putting off or a [plan with friends](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-group-plans). It can [make phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls), navigate phone menus and wait on hold. If a business needs you to verify your identity, the task may still need your participation.

Arlo can also handle professional tasks. The guides for [founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors) and [sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) cover that side. A private session does not become shared knowledge just because the same person also works in Slack.

## When to evaluate Martin

Martin's site emphasizes scheduling, inbox help and reminders, with ways to reach it by text, phone, email and Slack. If those are the jobs you need, test one with your own constraints. Use its current [feature documentation](https://docs.trymartin.com/) to confirm the connection and channel involved, rather than relying on an older comparison's feature count.

## Control and cost

Arlo does what you clearly ask and checks with you when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. It keeps an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). Private memory stays scoped to the user by default; team or company memory requires explicit governed promotion.

Compare the current plans on each provider's site. Arlo is free to start; [pricing](/pricing) lists allowances and call rates. We do not treat a free trial, monthly subscription or connected account as permission to buy something on your behalf.

## A fair first test

Ask each assistant to check two possible times for an appointment or draft a reschedule email. Specify the time zone, recipient and whether sending is allowed. Compare correctness, the questions asked, required access and what actually completed. A prepared draft and a sent email are different outcomes.

For other options, read [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke), [Martin alternatives](/compare/martin-alternatives), [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) and the [resources index](/resources). An [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) is a work use case of an assistant, not the only reason to use Arlo.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is Arlo or Martin better for personal use?** Both belong in a personal-assistant comparison. Test the job you need done. Arlo emphasizes calls, bookings, websites and plans; Martin's published features emphasize calendar, inbox and reminders.

**Can I use Arlo without a team?** Yes. Arlo is a personal AI assistant, with work and team support available too.

**Does Martin have fewer integrations?** We have not measured the full current integration sets head to head. Confirm the exact account and task you need in each product rather than choosing by a headline count.

**Does Arlo work on WhatsApp?** Yes. You can reach it through WhatsApp as well as iMessage, SMS, phone and Slack. Check the channel page for its messaging limits.

**How should I compare prices?** Check current allowances and the cost of the task, including any call or hold time. A published monthly fee alone does not establish the cheaper option.

[Try Arlo with one task](/start).

---

# Arlo vs Pally: personal tasks, calls and costs compared

> Arlo and Pally are personal AI assistants you can text for calls, bookings and everyday tasks. Both support WhatsApp; Arlo also works in Slack. Pally offers an optional Cloud Mac for an always-on hosted Mac signed into your Apple Account. Compare the task, permissions and usage allowance.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-pally

Arlo and Pally both handle personal calls, bookings and messaging. Arlo is worth trying if you want personal errands in Messages or WhatsApp and work requests inside Slack. Pally also offers connected-chat features and an optional hosted Mac.

We make Arlo. Pally's homepage, pricing, calling guide, terms and changelog were checked 2 November 2026. This comparison covers published features and plans.

## What to compare first

| Need | Arlo | Pally |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A business call | Outbound AI calls, menus and hold | Its calling guide describes calling businesses and reporting results |
| A place to ask | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp and Slack | Published iMessage, RCS, WhatsApp and Telegram access |
| Existing message history | A text thread does not grant access to your other chats | Separate connected-chat and Mac features, with required permissions |
| Starting cost | Free allowance; current plans on our pricing page | Free offering with usage limits; Cloud Mac is a separate paid add-on |

An assistant can be a contact you text without being able to read every conversation on your phone. Keep those permissions separate when comparing the products.

## Calls: compare the outcome

Arlo can [place calls](/phone), navigate menus and wait on hold. Pally's [calling guide](https://pally.com/guides/ai-that-calls-businesses-for-you) describes a similar business-calling workflow, including asking you for decisions. Neither published description establishes a higher success rate.

Try the same small job with the same constraints. An illustrative brief: “Call the repair shop and check whether my laptop is ready. Ask about pickup hours. Do not approve extra work or charges.” This is not a customer call transcript.

A useful result distinguishes an answer from a voicemail, an unavailable appointment or a request for information only you can supply. Read the outcome before treating the errand as finished.

## Messaging and Cloud Mac are different choices

Pally's [pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) lists direct WhatsApp messaging. It separately describes a $95-a-month Cloud Mac that can remain running and signed into your Apple Account.

That add-on solves a different job from texting an assistant. Ask whether you need access to your own iMessage history or an always-on computer. A subscription comparison that omits a required add-on can be misleading, as can treating an optional add-on as mandatory for everyone.

Arlo receives what you send to its thread. Connections to email, calendars and other tools require their own access. Its [personal-task guides](/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call) show calls and bookings you can start from a message.

## Current limits and recent changes

Pally's free offering has usage limits that refill through the week. Its pricing page also lists invitation-only VIP for higher limits, at $1,000 a month or $10,000 a year. Arlo starts free within a monthly allowance, with current plans and call rates on [Arlo pricing](/pricing). We have not measured equal workloads or proven one cheaper for your task. Merchant charges remain separate.

Pally's [November changelog](https://pally.com/whats-new/2026-11) reports fixes for late automations and messages that did not reach the user. Those updates are a reason to check the current product rather than rely on an old review. A changelog entry is not an independently verified result.

## Control over actions and sharing

Pally's [terms](https://pally.com/terms) describe authorization through requests, settings, permissions and automations. With either product, understand what your request authorizes before connecting more accounts.

Arlo checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone, and keeps an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). Your private conversations stay private by default. Sharing information into team or company memory is a separate, authorized action recorded in the audit trail; using a shared channel does not open another person’s private history.

Read the current [Arlo](https://www.arlo.sh/privacy) and [Pally](https://pally.com/privacy) policies for data handling. This article does not claim an independent security audit of either product.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send a call or booking request from Messages, or bring a work task into Slack. Connect other accounts when the task needs them.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can both Arlo and Pally make calls?** Both publish outbound calling capabilities. Check the destination, task and actual result rather than assuming every attempted call becomes a completed booking.

**Can I use both on WhatsApp?** Yes. Arlo supports WhatsApp, and Pally's current pricing page lists direct WhatsApp messaging. Account connections and access to existing chats are separate permissions.

**Is Pally free?** Its published offering is free with usage limits. Cloud Mac is a separate paid add-on, and invitation-only VIP offers higher limits. Check the current allowance and whether your specific workflow requires the add-on.

**Does Arlo read all my iMessage conversations?** No. Texting Arlo does not give it access to your other threads. It receives what you send to it; connected tools require separate access.

**Which should I choose?** Try the same small task with the same constraints. Choose by the result, required access, channel and allowance. Arlo serves personal errands and work; Pally is not limited to a consumer-only comparison either.

---

# Arlo vs Poke: personal AI assistants compared

> Arlo and Poke are personal AI assistants you can text. Arlo focuses on calls, bookings, websites and coordinating everyday plans, and also works in Slack. Poke offers connected apps and reusable Recipes, plus Poke Human under Ultra for errands carried out by a person. Choose by the task, delivery model, channel and total cost.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-poke

Arlo and Poke both let you delegate from a message. Choose Arlo when you want an AI to make the business call, handle the phone menu and wait on hold. Poke also offers a human errand service under Ultra.

We make Arlo. This comparison uses our current product pages and Poke's official pages, checked 2 November 2026. It is a comparison of published capabilities, not an independent head-to-head test.

## What each assistant is for

**Arlo** helps with everyday tasks: calling a business, researching a restaurant, arranging an appointment, using your connected websites and finding a time for friends. You reach it in [iMessage or SMS](/imessage), [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), by phone or in Slack. You can use it for work in Slack too.

**Poke** is a personal assistant available through Messages, WhatsApp and Telegram. Its [official site](https://poke.com/) describes connected apps, reminders, proactive help and Recipes for reusable automations. Its [pricing page](https://poke.com/pricing) offers Free, Pro and Ultra. Its [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) also describes Poke Human: a person handles errands, including calls and reservations, under Ultra. Check current availability and allowances.

## Compare the task you want done

| Your need | Arlo | Poke |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal errands and follow-through | Calls, bookings, research and connected websites | Messaging assistance and connected-app tasks |
| Texting channels | iMessage, SMS and WhatsApp; also Slack | Messages, WhatsApp and Telegram |
| Calling a business | Makes outbound calls, navigates phone menus and waits on hold | Poke Human: a person handles calls under Ultra |
| Reusable tasks | Saved skills and scheduled work | Recipes |
| Work use | Email, calendars, documents and team tools | Connected-app tasks; check your required integration |
| Starting cost | Free to start; current allowances on our pricing page | Free plan; paid plans on Poke's pricing page |

An unlisted feature is not proof that a competitor cannot do it. Ask each assistant about the particular task and test it before granting broader access.

## When to try Arlo

Try Arlo if you want to hand off a phone call, a [restaurant booking](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-restaurant-bookings) or [plans with friends](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-group-plans). For example: “Call the restaurant and ask whether they can seat six after seven, including one wheelchair user. Bring me the options before booking.” This is an example request, not a customer result or a guarantee of availability.

Arlo can also help with work. The [founder](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders) and [sales](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) guides cover those uses. The same person can use it for personal errands and professional tasks without treating private memory as shared team knowledge.

## What control looks like

Give Arlo the outcome, constraints and stopping point. A clear instruction can authorize an action; an unclear request, spending money or an irreversible step requires checking with you. Connecting an account by itself is not permission to send arbitrary messages or make purchases.

Private user conversations and memory stay scoped to that user by default. Moving information into team or company memory requires explicit governed promotion with an audit record. The [audit trail guide](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) explains why the record matters.

## Price and a fair trial

Arlo is free to start. The [pricing page](/pricing) is the authority for current allowances and call rates. Poke lists Free, Pro at $19 a month and Ultra at $199 a month. Poke Human is included with Ultra; real-world expenses are charged separately, and Ultra supports pay-as-you-go usage. Compare the full task cost, including time spent on hold, rather than treating a monthly price as unlimited use.

Test both assistants on the same small task: finding three suitable restaurants or drafting a calendar plan. Compare accuracy, questions asked, the access needed and whether the final response distinguishes research from a completed booking. Our [guide to delegating everyday tasks](/blog/how-to-delegate-everyday-tasks-to-ai) gives a brief you can reuse.

For more context, see [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives), the broader [texting-assistant comparison](/compare/best-ai-assistants-you-can-text) and our [AI executive assistant definition](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant). Our earlier [Cognition and Poke article](/blog/cognition-poke-what-it-means) covers the acquisition history; it is not a current feature review.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is Arlo only for teams?** No. Arlo is a personal AI assistant for everyday calls, bookings, research and plans. It also supports work and team tasks in Slack and connected apps.

**What is the difference between Arlo and Poke?** Both are personal assistants you can text. Arlo emphasizes calls, bookings, websites and coordinating plans, with Slack available for work. Poke offers app connections and Recipes, plus Poke Human under Ultra for errands handled by a person. Compare the task, delivery model and cost.

**Can Arlo call a restaurant for me?** Yes. Arlo can call a business, get through phone menus and ask about availability. A call or an availability check does not itself confirm a reservation; check the result and any approval needed for booking.

**Can Poke make phone calls?** Poke's FAQ describes Poke Human, where a person handles calls and reservations under Ultra. That is a different service from Arlo placing an AI call. Real-world expenses are separate.

**Which is cheaper?** Both offer a free starting option. Compare their current pricing pages and the allowance needed for your task. A plan price alone does not establish which service costs less for your usage.

**Can I use Arlo for personal tasks and work?** Yes. It supports both. Private user memory is not automatically made available in team or company contexts.

## Try Arlo

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send one business call you want handled, with your question and spending boundary.

---

# Arlo vs Viktor — which AI coworker fits your team?

> Viktor and Arlo are both AI coworkers that do real work from team chat. Viktor is an AI employee in Slack and Teams known for heavy delegation and running code. Arlo works in Slack, iMessage/SMS, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, asks first when it matters, and keeps an audit trail. Pick Viktor for in-chat technical delegation; pick Arlo when work spills into texts, calls, and governed tools.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/arlo-vs-viktor

Viktor and Arlo are the two products most likely to be on the same shortlist: both are AI coworkers you talk to in your team's chat, both connect to thousands of tools, and both promise finished work rather than just answers. The overlap is real, so this comparison focuses on where they genuinely differ — channels, governance defaults, and the kind of work each is best at.

Viktor, made by a fast-moving team that raised a reported $75M round in May 2026, positions itself as an "AI employee" for Slack and Microsoft Teams. Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) for the workspace that works across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. If your team's work stays inside Slack, both deserve a look. If it spills into text threads and phone calls — or if a full audit trail is a requirement — the comparison tilts.

## What Viktor is (as of July 2026)

As of July 2026, from Viktor's public materials:

- It's an autonomous AI employee that lives in Slack or Microsoft Teams — teammates @mention it in channels and it carries tasks to completion.
- It connects to 3,200+ tools and handles analytics, automation, reports, and campaigns.
- It writes and executes code, and can build small web apps and artifacts on request.
- It's SOC 2 Type 1 certified, with controls over which tools require approval before executing.
- It publishes an unusually deep content library and case studies — the team ships fast and says so publicly.

Viktor is a polished product with serious momentum, and for teams that want to delegate technical, in-chat work at volume, it's a genuinely strong option. Details shift quickly — check Viktor's own site for the current state.

## What Arlo is

Arlo is one AI colleague for the whole workspace. It works in the channels your team already uses — including the two most companies ignore: **text messages and live phone calls**. You can text Arlo from iMessage or SMS like a person, and it can place real calls — confirm an appointment, chase a vendor, ask a business a question — and keep the transcript so you can ask how it went.

It connects to Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools, and for software with no API it logs in once through a secure browser session and works the interface like a person would. It keeps persistent memory across conversations and channels, delivers one morning briefing of what changed overnight, and suggests automations for work it sees repeating.

Governance is the center of the product, not a setting to find later. Every connection resolves through policy before each run, clear requests run while money and unclear requests get a question first, and every run leaves a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) — each tool call, source, and approval.

## Feature comparison

| Capability | Viktor | Arlo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI employee for team chat | AI colleague for the workspace |
| Slack | ✓ | ✓ |
| iMessage / SMS | — | ✓ |
| Live phone calls (in + out) | — | ✓ |
| Tool integrations | 3,200+ | 3,000+ |
| Tools with no API | Not a stated focus | ✓ Secure browser session |
| Writes and executes code | ✓ | Not a stated focus |
| Persistent memory + morning brief | Learns from delegation | ✓ Memory across channels, daily brief |
| Approval gates | Configurable per tool | ✓ Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Audit trail per run | Activity visibility | ✓ Full trace: calls, sources, approvals |
| Compliance posture | SOC 2 Type 1 | Governance-first design, audit export on request |

Both products evolve weekly; treat this as a snapshot from July 2026 and verify anything load-bearing.

## Where Viktor wins

Concede the real things: Viktor is excellent at high-volume, in-chat delegation — especially work that benefits from writing and running code, like data pulls, report generation, and quick internal tools. Its integration count is enormous, its case-study library is public, and SOC 2 Type 1 is a checkbox some procurement teams will want on day one. If your team lives entirely in Slack and wants an AI employee to bury in tickets, Viktor is a credible hire.

## Where Arlo wins

Arlo wins on reach and on defaults. Work doesn't stay in Slack: customers text, vendors only answer the phone, and half your own team responds faster in iMessage than in any channel. Arlo is the only one of the two that [works across texts and live calls](/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call) as first-class surfaces. And when an AI touches production systems and customer inboxes, Arlo's model — a question first on money or anything unclear, audit trail after it, policy checks in between — is on from the first minute, not assembled from settings.

## How to choose

Ask two questions. First: **where does your work actually happen?** If the answer is "Slack, full stop," both fit; if it includes texts and calls, that's Arlo. Second: **when do you want it to check with you?** Arlo does what you clearly ask, asks first on money, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone, and you can tell it to always ask before certain actions. Viktor lets you choose which tools need approval. Then add a third if you're comparing cost: **what does the free plan actually cover?** Arlo's includes calls and bookings, not only chat — the cheapest way to decide the rest is to give each the same three tasks from your actual backlog.

Looking past this one matchup? See [Viktor alternatives](/compare/viktor-alternatives) for the wider field, and the [AI coworker](/glossary/ai-coworker) explainer for the category both products are selling into.

## Frequently asked questions

**Are Viktor and Arlo direct competitors?** Partly. Both are AI coworkers that do real work from team chat. Viktor is Slack/Teams-only and leans into code execution; Arlo covers Slack, iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, and centers governance: a question first when it matters and a full audit trail.

**Does Viktor work over iMessage or SMS?** No — as of July 2026, Viktor's stated channels are Slack and Microsoft Teams. Arlo works in iMessage and SMS as first-class channels alongside Slack and WhatsApp.

**Can either make phone calls?** Arlo places live phone calls and keeps a transcript of each. Phone calling isn't part of Viktor's stated product as of July 2026.

**Which is better for a non-technical team?** Teams that mostly need coordination — scheduling, follow-ups, inbox triage, CRM updates, calls — tend to fit Arlo's shape. Teams that want an AI to write and run code from chat requests tend to fit Viktor's.

**Can I try both?** Yes, and you should. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, with no card to start. Run the same real tasks through each and compare the finished work, not the demos.

---

# Best AI assistants for iMessage in 2026

> Arlo handles business calls, bookings and reminders from an iMessage thread. Pally and Poke also offer messaging, while ChatGPT dot texting is a limited beta for eligible US Pro users. Choose by the task, supported channel and current access. The Mac Messages plugin is a separate option for existing conversations.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/best-ai-assistants-for-imessage

For errands from your iPhone, look for an assistant you can text directly. Arlo can take that message into a business call, booking request or reminder, without a separate chat app.

We make Arlo. Official product descriptions linked below were checked 4 November 2026. This compares published features and plans, not hands-on benchmark results.

## Choose the interaction first

| Option | Fits this request | Check before choosing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arlo | Text a personal task, booking or business call | Task details, required connections and current allowance |
| Pally | Text tasks through iMessage or RCS | Separate permissions for existing message history |
| Poke | Delegate through its Messages channel | Account channel support and whether human help is needed |
| ChatGPT dot texting | Work with your ongoing ChatGPT agent by text | Limited US Pro beta, iMessage or RCS |
| ChatGPT Messages plugin | Search, draft or send in existing Mac threads | Apple silicon Mac, Work or Codex, and permissions |
| Apple Intelligence ChatGPT extension | Ask Siri or get help composing text | Supported device, language and region |

## A contact you can text

Arlo takes personal requests through [iMessage and SMS](/imessage), including calls, bookings and tasks. It can navigate phone menus and wait on hold. It checks unclear requests, spending and actions that cannot be undone. See [pricing](/pricing) for the current free allowance and call rates.

[Pally's published channels](https://pally.com/pricing) include iMessage and RCS. Its free offering has usage limits that refill through the week. The optional paid Cloud Mac is separate from texting the assistant; general texting does not require that add-on. Compare that distinction in [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally).

[Poke](https://poke.com/) lists Messages alongside WhatsApp and Telegram. Verify signup support for your number. Its [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) describes Poke Human as a person handling calls and errands under Ultra. [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) covers the broader choice.

## ChatGPT dot texting now works for eligible accounts

OpenAI has [announced dot texting](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/whats-new/dots-october-28-2026) through iMessage and RCS. Its [setup guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001530-getting-started-with-your-dot) limits the beta to some Pro users in the US. Enable Texting in your dot's profile, verify your number and message it one-to-one. Business and Enterprise workspaces, SMS and group texts are outside the current texting beta.

That gives eligible users a way to continue work with their dot from Messages. Check the Texting option in your account before planning around it.

## Working with existing Mac conversations

OpenAI's [Apple Messages plugin](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/plugins) can read, search, draft and send in existing Mac conversations. It is available on all plans in Work and Codex in the Apple silicon macOS app. It requires permissions and asks for send approval by default, though a user can allow future sends to a chat. Dot texting has the separate setup described above.

Apple's [ChatGPT extension](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/turn-on-chatgpt-iph00fd3c8c2/ios) helps through Siri and Apple Intelligence on eligible devices and in supported regions. It also is not a Messages contact.

## Try Arlo with one task

For an example you can inspect, Arlo completed [restaurant research from a Messages brief](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study), compared three options and saved the source-linked file. That task recorded $1.12 of allowance usage.

For your first task, ask Arlo to call a business you need an answer from, or give it a reminder with a full date, time zone and delivery channel.

Texting Arlo does not open your other conversations; separately authorized connectors have their own access. For any provider, distinguish a direct conversation from permission to search history. The [message-to-task guide](/blog/turn-messages-into-tasks-and-reminders) explains how to review a forwarded request.

[Start free with Arlo](/start), connect Messages and send one task you want off your list. You can delegate the phone menu, queue and conversation from the same thread.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which iMessage assistant is best?** Shortlist by the job: a contact for delegation, a Mac plugin for existing threads, or Apple's tools for composing. Compare the same request and required access.

**Can I text ChatGPT from my iPhone in iMessage?** Yes, if your US Pro account has the dot texting beta. Enable Texting in your dot's profile and verify your number. The Mac Messages plugin uses a separate setup.

**Are iMessage AI assistants free?** Some offer free use with limits. Check current allowances, paid add-ons and any calling charges before treating a free plan as unlimited.

**Can an assistant read my other messages?** A direct thread and history access are separate. Arlo receives messages you send it; connectors require separate authorization. Review other providers' permissions individually.

---

# Best AI assistants for Slack in 2026: 8 tools, 3 jobs

> The best AI assistant for Slack depends on which job you're hiring for. To delegate real work across your tools — email, CRM, issues, even phone calls — Arlo is the pick, asking first when it matters, with a full audit trail. To understand what happened in Slack, use Slack's own AI. To deflect support tickets, use ClearFeed, Fin, or Zendesk. Most shortlists mix the three.

Updated: 2026-08-06 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/best-ai-assistants-for-slack

Search "AI assistant for Slack" and you get a list that mixes a thread summarizer, a customer-support bot, a Jira search box, and an autonomous agent that can spend your money — as if they were competing for the same slot. They aren't. They do three different jobs, and picking from the wrong one is how teams lose a quarter to a pilot that was never going to work.

So this list is sorted by job, not by vendor. Figure out which job you're hiring for first; the shortlist inside each one is short and the choice gets easy. Our own product, [Arlo](/slack), sits in the third job — we'll say plainly where it isn't the right pick.

**The three jobs:**

1. **Understand** — summarize threads, recap channels, search history. You want to know what happened.
2. **Deflect** — answer repetitive questions from a knowledge base so a human never opens the ticket. You want volume off your team's plate.
3. **Delegate** — hand over a task that touches real tools and get finished work back. You want the thing done.

## The short list

| Tool | Job | Lives where | Takes action in your tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Slack AI** | Understand | Slack only | — Reads and summarizes Slack |
| **Atlassian Rovo** | Understand | Slack + Atlassian | — Search and answers |
| **ClearFeed** | Deflect | Slack only | ✓ Tickets, triage, routing |
| **Intercom Fin** | Deflect | Slack + web + email | ✓ Resolves support conversations |
| **Zendesk AI** | Deflect | Slack + Zendesk | ✓ Support workflows |
| **Arlo** | Delegate | Slack, iMessage/SMS, WhatsApp, phone calls | ✓ 3,000+ tools, approvals + audit trail |
| **Viktor** | Delegate | Slack, Teams | ✓ 3,200+ tools, analytics and code |
| **Lindy** | Delegate | Slack, email, iMessage, browser | ✓ Builder-defined workflows |

Pricing structures differ more than prices do: Slack AI is bundled into paid Slack plans, support tools charge per agent seat or per resolved conversation, and delegation tools charge per user or per usage. Structures below reflect each vendor's public materials as of August 2026 — check their pricing pages for current numbers.

## Job 1 — Understand what happened

### Slack AI

The native option, and the honest default. Slack AI summarizes long threads, gives you channel recaps, and answers questions against your own message history. It's bundled into paid Slack plans rather than sold separately, which makes it the cheapest thing on this list for most teams — you may already have it.

Its boundary is also clean: Slack AI knows about Slack. It won't open your Linear ticket or chase a vendor by email. If your problem is "I was in twelve channels today and I don't know what I missed," stop here. You don't need anything else on this page.

### Atlassian Rovo

Rovo works inside Slack but its center of gravity is Atlassian: it searches across Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket and answers with that context, and it's included in paid Atlassian Cloud plans. If your team's institutional knowledge lives in Confluence and half your Slack questions are really "where's that page," Rovo is the tighter fit than a general assistant.

The same boundary applies — it's a very good search-and-answer layer, not a delegate.

## Job 2 — Deflect the repetitive questions

This is the most mature and most competitive part of the category, and it's the one where a general-purpose AI assistant is usually the *wrong* buy. If your job is "our support channel gets the same forty questions a week," you want a purpose-built deflection product with ticketing, SLAs, routing, and reporting — not a colleague.

### ClearFeed

Slack-native support: it turns channel messages into tracked tickets, triages them, and answers from your knowledge base autonomously. Priced per agent or per channel. If your customers or your internal teams already live in shared Slack channels, ClearFeed is built exactly for that shape and it's hard to beat there.

### Intercom Fin

Fin resolves customer conversations across Slack, web chat, and email, and is notable for charging per *resolved* conversation rather than per seat — you pay when it actually deflects. That pricing model makes ROI unusually easy to measure, which is why it shows up on most support shortlists.

### Zendesk AI

If you're already a Zendesk shop, its AI agents surface knowledge articles and its copilot drafts replies, with Slack as one surface among many. The integration story is the reason to pick it: staying inside the helpdesk you already run usually beats a marginally smarter bot that lives somewhere else.

## Job 3 — Delegate work that leaves Slack

Here the assistant isn't answering — it's going away, doing something in your actual tools, and coming back with the result. This is the newest of the three jobs and the one with the most variation in how much you're trusted to control.

### Arlo — a colleague, not a Slack feature

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that lives in Slack like a teammate: @mention it in a channel or DM it, and it acts through Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, your CRM and 3,000+ other tools. Two things distinguish it in this job.

The first is **governance by default**. A clear request runs and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, would delete something that can't be restored, or came from somewhere other than you, and you can tell it to always ask before certain actions. Every run leaves an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). That matters more than it sounds once an assistant has write access to your CRM.

The second is that **Slack isn't the boundary**. The same colleague, with the same memory, is also in [iMessage and SMS](/imessage), on [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), and on [live phone calls](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls). A thread you start in Slack still makes sense when you follow up by text from a cab. Arlo's pricing is one monthly allowance across every channel: free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage.

**When Arlo is the wrong pick:** if you want ticket deflection with SLAs and support reporting, buy a support product from Job 2 — Arlo isn't one. If your team is strictly Slack-only and never leaves it, you're paying for channels you won't use. And if you want a visual builder to design deterministic workflows, see Lindy below.

### Viktor — heavy delegation, Slack and Teams

Viktor positions itself as an "AI employee" for Slack and Microsoft Teams: teammates @mention it and it carries tasks to completion across 3,200+ tools, with a reputation for analytics, reports, campaigns, and running code. It's the closest product to Arlo on this list, and if your work genuinely never leaves team chat it's a strong pick.

The differences worth checking against your own requirements are channels — Viktor doesn't do texts or phone calls — and governance defaults, which is a question to put to both vendors rather than take from a comparison page. Full breakdown: [Arlo vs Viktor](/compare/arlo-vs-viktor).

### Lindy — automation you can reach from Slack

Lindy comes at this from the workflow side: you build agents and multi-step processes in a visual builder, then reach them from Slack, email, iMessage, or the browser. If you want repeatable, deterministic flows you've designed yourself, that's a real advantage. If you want to delegate messy one-off work in plain language, the builder is overhead. Full breakdown: [Arlo vs Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy).

## Why "AI assistant for Slack" is a harder search than it looks

Two structural things make this category confusing to shop for.

**Slack competes with its own ecosystem.** Slack ships native AI, Slackbot as a personal agent, and Agentforce for Salesforce-centric automation. For the Understand job the native option is genuinely good and usually already paid for, which quietly raises the bar for everything else: a third-party tool has to be better at a *different* job, not slightly better at summarizing.

**"Assistant" is doing too much work as a word.** A support-deflection agent and a delegation colleague are as different as a call center and a chief of staff, but both get marketed as "AI assistant for Slack." The three-job split above is the fastest way to cut through it — and the fastest way to disqualify two thirds of any shortlist you're handed.

## How to choose

Ask what you want to be true in ninety days.

- *"I know what happened without reading everything."* → Slack AI, or Rovo if your knowledge lives in Atlassian.
- *"Our team stopped answering the same question."* → ClearFeed for Slack-native support, Fin if you want to pay per resolution, Zendesk AI if you're already there.
- *"Work I delegate comes back done."* → [Arlo](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) if that work touches many tools and needs approvals, or spills into texts and calls; Viktor if it stays in chat; Lindy if you'd rather design the workflow yourself.

If two of those are true, buy two tools. They're not substitutes, and the combined bill is usually smaller than one failed pilot.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the best AI assistant for Slack?** There isn't one best — there are three jobs. Slack's own AI is best for summarizing and searching Slack, ClearFeed and Intercom Fin are best for deflecting support questions, and Arlo or Viktor are best for delegating work that touches your other tools.

**Does Slack have its own built-in AI assistant?** Yes. Slack AI provides thread summaries, channel recaps, and AI search over your message history, and it's bundled into paid Slack plans rather than sold separately. It only knows about Slack, so it can't take action in your other tools.

**Can an AI assistant in Slack actually take actions in other tools?** Yes, but only the delegation-class tools do. Arlo acts across 3,000+ tools including Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and CRMs, and asks you first on money or anything unclear. Summarizers and search tools read and answer, they don't act.

**Is it safe to give an AI assistant write access to Slack and connected tools?** Look for three specific controls: a check with you before anything unclear, costly or permanent, a way to make it always ask before certain actions, and an audit trail of every run. Arlo has all three: it does what you clearly ask, asks first in those cases, and logs every tool call and approval.

**What's the difference between a Slack AI assistant and a Slack chatbot?** A chatbot answers inside the thread. An assistant leaves the thread — it reads your connected tools, performs the task, and reports back with the result. If it can't touch anything outside Slack, it's a chatbot, however good its answers are.

---

# Best AI assistants for WhatsApp in 2026

> Arlo lets you hand over calls, bookings and connected-app tasks from WhatsApp. Pally and Poke also have direct messaging channels; Muse and ChatGPT have eligibility limits. Compare the job you want handled, the account access it needs and how later updates arrive.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/best-ai-assistants-for-whatsapp

You can hand an errand to an assistant without leaving WhatsApp. Arlo supports personal calls, bookings and tasks. Compare the alternatives by the job, required access and how they return the result, then check availability for your account and number.

We make Arlo. The linked official descriptions were checked 3 November 2026. This compares published features and plans, not hands-on benchmark results.

## Compare the WhatsApp route

| Assistant | Published WhatsApp route | Decision to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arlo | Direct assistant conversation | Task, tool access and update delivery |
| Pally | Direct conversation; own chat history is a separate connection | Whether history access is needed |
| Poke | WhatsApp alongside Messages and Telegram | Channel offered for your account |
| Meta Muse | WhatsApp plus its own app | Location and account eligibility |
| ChatGPT | EEA availability by number country code | Gradual rollout and usage limits |

## Arlo, Pally and Poke: delegate from WhatsApp

Arlo handles personal calls, bookings and tasks from [WhatsApp](/whatsapp). It can call a business, navigate menus and wait on hold. It checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. Its thread receives what you send it. Access to connected accounts requires separate authorization. Current allowances and rates live on [pricing](/pricing).

[Pally's pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) separately lists direct WhatsApp messaging and connecting your own WhatsApp account for help with existing chats. Its free use has limits that refill through the week. Decide whether your task needs history before enabling that additional access.

[Poke's homepage](https://poke.com/) lists WhatsApp, Messages and Telegram. Confirm your account's preferred messaging channel and available access. [Poke vs Pally](/compare/poke-vs-pally) compares task delivery and optional services.

## Muse and ChatGPT have eligibility checks

Meta's [Muse announcement](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/) describes WhatsApp access and a cloud computer for delegated tasks. Its [subscription help](https://www.meta.com/help/subscriptions/1021145227643680/) says Muse remains in limited testing, with location and account eligibility. It lists free usage and Power and Max options; check your account before planning around it.

OpenAI's current [phone and messaging help](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10193193-1-800-chatgpt-calling-and-messaging-chatgpt-with-your-phone) confirms ChatGPT on WhatsApp in the EEA, based on the country code of the WhatsApp number. Rollout may be gradual and usage limits apply. That documentation does not establish availability for every country outside the EEA.

## Check the later update, too

WhatsApp's [Business Messaging Policy](https://business.whatsapp.com/policy) allows free-form replies within a 24-hour customer service window. Outside that window, the Business Platform requires approved templates. Before a long task, confirm how you will receive its result after the active conversation ends.

An illustrative request: "Check two repair appointments for Friday afternoon in Europe/Rome. Report options; do not book. Tell me how I will receive the result if I have not messaged again." This is an example, not a test result. Confirm the channel and next delivery time for later reminders. The [broader texting guide](/compare/best-ai-assistants-you-can-text) compares messaging apps.

[Start free with Arlo](/start) and connect WhatsApp. Send a message or voice note with the outcome you want and whether it may book or spend.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the best AI assistant for WhatsApp?** Choose among available accounts by the task, permissions and delivery method. This guide does not establish a universal winner.

**Does messaging an assistant expose all my WhatsApp chats?** Direct messaging and connected history are different access choices. Check permissions before connecting your own account or forwarding messages.

**Can a WhatsApp assistant remind me next week?** Confirm the specific provider's delivery route. Business Platform messaging windows and template requirements affect later messages; scheduling alone does not prove delivery.

**Is ChatGPT available on WhatsApp everywhere?** OpenAI confirms EEA access based on number country code, with gradual rollout and limits. Check its current help page for availability in other regions.

---

# Best AI assistants you can text: Messages, WhatsApp and calls

> Arlo handles calls, bookings and everyday tasks from Messages, SMS or WhatsApp. Pally and Poke also offer messaging, and eligible US Pro users can text a ChatGPT dot through iMessage or RCS. Choose by the task, channel and current access. Hark offers its own web, Mac and mobile apps.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/best-ai-assistants-you-can-text

The best AI assistant you can text is the one that handles your task in a channel you already use. Start with that choice: a contact in Messages, an assistant in WhatsApp, or an app that can work with existing conversations.

We make Arlo. The linked first-party descriptions were checked 4 November 2026. This compares published features and plans, not hands-on benchmark results.

## Choose the channel first

| Your priority | Start here | Check before connecting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| An assistant in iMessage or SMS | Arlo, Pally or Poke's supported Messages channel | Number support, task capabilities and free limits |
| Delegating from WhatsApp | Arlo, Pally, Poke or eligible Muse accounts | Availability and later-message delivery rules |
| Continue work with your ChatGPT dot by text | ChatGPT dot texting | Limited US Pro beta, iMessage or RCS |
| Existing conversations on your Mac | ChatGPT's Apple Messages plugin or a history connector | Which threads it can read and send to |
| A proactive app with a browser agent | Hark Pro | Whether an app fits better than a texting channel |

Use the [iMessage shortlist](/compare/best-ai-assistants-for-imessage) for provider and permission details, or the [WhatsApp shortlist](/compare/best-ai-assistants-for-whatsapp) for availability and delivery constraints.

## Arlo: calls, bookings and everyday tasks

[Arlo](/imessage) handles personal tasks through Messages or WhatsApp, with Slack available for work. It can call a business, navigate menus, wait on hold and work with separately connected accounts or websites. It checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone.

Send Arlo the details you want it to use. Your other conversations stay separate; email or calendar connections are additional choices. [Pricing](/pricing) lists the current free allowance and call rates.

An illustrative first task: “Call the restaurant and ask whether six people can sit together on Friday after seven. Bring me options before booking.” That is a request example, not a reported customer result. A useful answer distinguishes available options from an actual reservation.

## Pally and Poke: messaging with different service choices

[Pally's pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) lists direct iMessage, RCS, WhatsApp and Telegram messaging, plus calls and connected apps. Its free use has limits that refill through the week. Cloud Mac is an optional hosted Mac, while invitation-only VIP offers higher limits. Texting it and connecting your existing chats are separate choices. See [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally).

[Poke](https://poke.com/) lists Messages, WhatsApp and Telegram, connected apps and reusable Recipes. Its [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) also describes Poke Human: a person handles errands and calls under Ultra. That distinction matters when comparing an AI call with a human-assisted service. See [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) and [Poke vs Pally](/compare/poke-vs-pally).

## ChatGPT dot texting, Hark and Muse

Meta's [Muse announcement](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/) describes an app and WhatsApp access with a cloud computer for tasks. Its [subscription help](https://www.meta.com/help/subscriptions/1021145227643680/) says availability varies by account and location and remains in limited testing. Check eligibility before planning around it.

[Hark Pro](https://hark.com/) provides a proactive Home screen, Projects and Handoff browser agent through its web and mobile apps, with an official [Mac app](https://hark.com/mac) now available. Its published pages focus on those apps and leave direct assistant texting unlisted. See [Hark vs Poke](/compare/hark-vs-poke).

OpenAI's [dot texting guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001530-getting-started-with-your-dot) now supports one-to-one iMessage or RCS for eligible US Pro users. You enable Texting in your dot's profile and verify your number. SMS, group texts and Business or Enterprise texting are outside the current beta. Its [Apple Messages plugin](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/plugins) separately works with existing Mac conversations. [ChatGPT in iMessage](/blog/chatgpt-in-imessage) explains both setups.

## Start with one task you need done

Try one bounded request and check the outcome, access needed and usage. For reminders, verify the next date, time zone, recurrence and delivery channel. A saved task, a scheduled reminder and a message sent to another person are separate actions. The [message-to-task walkthrough](/blog/turn-messages-into-tasks-and-reminders) shows what to review.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send one call, booking request or reminder with the details and the point where you want it to ask you. For a completed example, see the [Rome dinner shortlist](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study).

If you are choosing from an AI-generated list, our [ChatGPT recommendation study](/blog/which-ai-assistants-chatgpt-recommends) and [answer-engine optimization guide](/blog/what-is-aeo) explain how recommendations and their cited sources relate.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the best AI assistant I can text?** Choose by channel and task. Arlo, Pally and Poke offer messaging-based assistance; Muse also supports WhatsApp for eligible accounts. Compare required access, limits and the actual outcome.

**Can I text a ChatGPT dot?** Yes, if your US Pro account has the limited beta. Enable Texting in the dot's profile, verify your number and use iMessage or RCS.

**Can I use one without downloading an app?** Assistants with a direct messaging channel can be reached through an app you already use. Check the provider's signup and channel support rather than assuming every product has a texting number.

**Which texting assistants make calls?** Arlo and Pally publish AI calling. Poke Human uses a person for calls and other errands under Ultra. See the calling comparison for the different routes.

**Does texting an assistant let it read my other chats?** A conversation with the assistant and access to existing history are separate. Arlo receives what you send its thread; connected tools require separate authorization.

**Are these assistants free?** Several offer free usage with limits, and some features or services need paid options. Check current allowances, calling costs and optional add-ons before treating free as unlimited.

---

# Best AI executive assistants in 2026 — an honest roundup

> The best AI executive assistant in 2026 depends on the job. Arlo is the team-scale pick — an AI colleague across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls, with governance and a full audit trail. Lindy leads on inbox triage and workflow automation, Poke and April are strong personal texters, Martin is voice-first, and Catch takes proactive action.

Updated: 2026-07-13 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/best-ai-executive-assistants

"Best AI executive assistant" is the wrong question until you say who's asking. A founder who lives in iMessage wants something different from a sales team that needs approvals, and both want something different from a solo operator who just needs their inbox triaged. The tools below are genuinely good — they're just good at different jobs. This roundup lays out what each one is actually for as of 2026, so you can match the tool to the work instead of the marketing.

Everything here reflects each product's public positioning as of 2026. Pricing and features move fast, so treat specifics as a starting point and check each vendor's site before you commit. Full disclosure: we make [Arlo](/), and it's on this list. We've tried to position it honestly next to the others rather than talk over them.

## The best AI executive assistants at a glance

| Assistant | Where it works | Best for | Pricing (as of 2026) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Lindy | Email, Slack, calendars, business apps | Inbox triage + workflow automation | ~$29.99–$199.99 per user/mo, 7-day trial |
| Poke | iMessage, SMS, Telegram | Personal tasks over text | Light free, heavier paid |
| Martin | iOS, voice, text, email | Voice-first scheduling and reminders | See Martin's site |
| Catch | Text + voice calls | Proactive action, flat pricing | ~$99/mo, calls included |
| April | Text messages, no app | Simple personal EA over text | ~50 messages free, then ~$25/mo |
| Arlo | iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, live calls | An AI colleague for a governed team | Free to start ($10 of usage a month) · Plus $20/mo · Max $100/mo |

## Lindy

Lindy, out of San Francisco, is the closest thing to a true executive-assistant-as-workflow-engine. As of 2026 it triages Gmail and Outlook, drafts replies in your voice, schedules, preps you for calls, records and summarizes meetings, and texts you the parts that matter — much of it operated over iMessage and SMS. Its "when this, do that" workflow builder is the real differentiator, and with a reported ~400K users it's one of the more proven options. If your problem is a flooded inbox and repetitive multi-step processes, Lindy is the pick. Pricing runs roughly $29.99–$199.99 per user/mo with a 7-day trial.

## Poke

Poke, from The Interaction Company in Palo Alto (backed by General Catalyst, public since April 2026), is the friend-you-text version of an assistant. You sign up with a phone number, there's no app, and it lives in iMessage, SMS, and Telegram. It's tuned for personal life: daily planning, calendar, email filtering, flight check-ins, smart home, and shareable "Recipes." It's consumer-first and conversational, and it does that job well. If you want a sharp personal assistant for your own texts, Poke is a strong pick — see our [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) head-to-head. Pricing is light-free with heavier use paid.

## Martin

Martin is the voice-first one. It's iOS-first and built around talking: manage email, calendar, and reminders by voice or text, with Gmail and Outlook connected. As of 2026 its lane is quick spoken interactions — reminders, scheduling, dashing off a message while you're walking. If the way you actually want to use an assistant is to speak to it, Martin was designed for exactly that.

## Catch

Catch takes a different tack: it's built to proactively take action rather than wait to be asked, and it prices simply. As of 2026 it's roughly a flat $99/mo with voice calls included and no per-call fees, which makes budgeting easy if calling is central to your workflow. If you want an assistant that leans forward and you don't want to think about metered call costs, Catch is worth a look.

## April

April is the minimalist personal EA. It lives entirely in text messages, with no app to install, and it's priced to try — your first ~50 messages are free, then it's about $25/mo for unlimited. As of 2026 it's a clean fit for someone who wants a lightweight personal assistant over SMS without a lot of setup or configuration.

## Arlo

Here's our case, made plainly. The tools above each picked one lane — personal texter, inbox automator, voice, proactive action. [Arlo](/) is built for a different customer: a team that needs one colleague across every channel, with accountability baked in.

- **It works everywhere, including the phone.** Arlo runs in iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live [phone calls it can place](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls). Context doesn't drop when a thread becomes a call, and there's no new app to adopt.
- **It acts, then proves it.** Arlo connects to 3,000+ tools, and for software with no API it logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms like a person would. It keeps persistent memory and sends one morning briefing of what changed.
- **Governance is the default.** Clear requests run, and Arlo asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Every run leaves a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) — every tool call, source, and approval, on the record. That's the line between a personal bot and something a team can let act on its behalf.
- **It scales past one person.** It's free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, with every capability on every plan. Admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

Where Arlo is *not* the answer: if you only need a personal assistant for your own texts and errands, Poke, April, or Martin will feel lighter and cheaper. Arlo earns its keep when the work is shared and carries stakes.

## How to choose

Match the tool to the job. Pick **Lindy** for inbox triage and workflow automation. Pick **Poke** or **April** for a personal text assistant. Pick **Martin** if you want to talk to it. Pick **Catch** if you want proactive action with flat, call-inclusive pricing. Pick **Arlo** if you need an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) for a team — one assistant across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone, with approvals and an audit trail.

Still deciding between the personal options? Our [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) overview and the [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) explainer go deeper on the category, and the full [comparisons hub](/compare) lines up the head-to-heads.

Two head-to-heads go deeper than this roundup can: [Arlo vs April](/compare/arlo-vs-april) for the text-first personal EA lane, and [Arlo vs Catch](/compare/arlo-vs-catch) for the flat-rate exec assistant with calls included.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the best AI executive assistant in 2026?** It depends on the job. Lindy leads on inbox triage and workflow automation, Poke and April are strong personal texters, Martin is voice-first, and Catch takes proactive action with flat, call-inclusive pricing. Arlo is the team-scale pick — an AI colleague across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls with approvals and a full audit trail.

**What is the best AI executive assistant for a founder?** If you're running operations largely yourself and want one assistant that reaches you wherever you are, Arlo fits: it works in iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and on live calls, with one memory across all of them, and it asks first on money or anything unclear. If you only need your own inbox and calendar handled, Lindy, Poke, or Martin will feel lighter and cheaper — see [AI assistant for founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders).

**What is the best AI executive assistant for a small team?** Look for three things a personal assistant won't give you: shared context across people, a check with you before its own wording goes out in your name to someone who hasn't seen it, and a record of what happened. Arlo is built around those defaults. Most of the alternatives in this roundup are designed for a single user, which is a genuine strength for personal work and a real gap for shared work.

**How much do AI executive assistants cost in 2026?** Roughly: Lindy ~$29.99–$199.99 per user/mo with a 7-day trial; Catch ~$99/mo with calls included; April ~50 messages free then ~$25/mo; Poke light-free with heavier use paid; Martin per its own site. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, and every plan includes calls and bookings. Pricing moves fast — check each vendor before you commit.

**Which AI executive assistants can make phone calls?** As of 2026, Catch places outbound calls, Martin is voice-first for spoken interaction, and Arlo [places calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) for you and keeps a transcript of each one. Most text-first assistants do not make calls at all.

**When is Arlo the wrong choice?** When you only need a personal assistant for your own texts and errands. Poke, April, or Martin will feel lighter and cheaper, and the governance layer that makes Arlo useful for a team is dead weight for a single user. Arlo earns its keep when the work is shared and carries stakes.

## Try Arlo

If the assistant you need has to act for a team and stand up to review, [try Arlo](/signup) — an AI colleague inside the tools you already use, governed by design and auditable end to end.

---

# Catch alternatives — AI assistants for teams and personal life

> The main Catch alternatives are Poke, Martin, Lindy, and Arlo. Catch, Poke, and Martin are personal AI assistants over text and voice; Lindy automates work across business apps. Arlo is an AI colleague across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls that asks first on money or anything unclear and keeps a full audit trail.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/catch-alternatives

If you're shopping for Catch alternatives, the first thing to sort out is what job you're hiring for. Catch is a personal AI assistant you talk to. Poke and Martin sit in the same lane. Lindy is a work-automation tool. Arlo is an AI colleague built for a team — it works across every channel your team uses, makes phone calls, and asks first on money or anything unclear. Those are genuinely different products, so the right pick depends on whether you're outfitting yourself or a team.

Everything below is real to the best of our knowledge as of July 2026. Because we can't verify each competitor's live feature set, treat the specifics as "as of July 2026." After the rundown, I'll make the case for [Arlo](/) if you want one governed assistant spanning iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and live calls.

## The main Catch alternatives at a glance

| Assistant | Where it works | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Catch | Text and chat (personal assistant) | Personal tasks and daily help |
| Poke | iMessage, SMS, Telegram (WhatsApp in some markets) | Personal tasks over text |
| Martin | Voice, text, email | Voice-first scheduling and reminders |
| Lindy | Email, Slack, calendars, business tools | Workflow automation at work |
| Arlo | iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, live phone calls | An AI colleague across a team's tools, with governance |

## Catch

Catch is positioned as a personal AI assistant — the kind you message to manage your day and get quick help. As of July 2026 the pitch is a friendly, conversational helper for one person's tasks and reminders. That's a real and useful lane. Want the direct head-to-head? See [Arlo vs Catch](/compare/arlo-vs-catch).

## Poke

Poke comes from The Interaction Company and the whole pitch is that using it feels like texting a friend. As of July 2026 it runs over iMessage, SMS, and Telegram, with WhatsApp in some markets. The sweet spot is everyday personal stuff — planning your day, juggling your calendar, the back-and-forth you'd do over text anyway. For the direct comparison, see [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke).

## Martin

Martin is the voice-first one. As of July 2026 it hooks into your calendar, email, and messaging, and you can talk to it, text it, or email it. It's mostly described around scheduling, reminders, drafting quick messages, and daily updates. If what you want is something you can speak to like a personal assistant, that's Martin's lane. See [Arlo vs Martin](/compare/arlo-vs-martin) for the head-to-head.

## Lindy

Lindy is built to get work done, not chat. As of July 2026 it's a workflow automator that plugs into email, Slack, your calendar, and a long list of business apps — triaging inboxes, sitting in on meetings, and chaining multi-step workflows on its own. If your problem is repetitive business processes rather than a chatty assistant in your texts, Lindy is the obvious pick here.

## Why Arlo is the best Catch alternative for teams

Catch, Poke, and Martin are personal assistants — one person, their tasks, their texts. That's a fine fit for an individual. But if you're bringing an assistant into a team, the questions change: Can everyone reach it where they already work? Can you trust it to act? Can you prove what it did? Arlo is built for exactly those questions.

- **It works everywhere, including the phone.** Arlo is in iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. No new app to learn, and no dropped context when a thread becomes a call.
- **It remembers, and it briefs you.** Arlo holds onto what matters across conversations and sends a morning briefing on what changed overnight, so nobody re-explains themselves every time.
- **It acts, and connects to real tools.** Arlo works across 3,000+ tools. When an app has no API, it signs in once through a secure browser session and operates it by hand — clicking, reading, and filling forms the way a person would.
- **Governance is the default, not an add-on.** Clear requests run, it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and every action lands in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). That's the real line between an AI colleague you can put on real work and a personal chat-bot. See how it [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending).
- **It scales past one person.** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. Admin policy and audit export are available on request for orgs that need them.

## How to choose

Pick **Catch, Poke, or Martin** if you want a personal assistant for your own tasks, texts, and reminders. Pick **Lindy** if the goal is automating business workflows across apps. Pick **Arlo** if you want one [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and calls, with memory and governed actions your whole team can audit. Comparing options for a specific team? See how Arlo works [in Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) or as an assistant that [makes phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls), and browse the full [use cases](/use-cases) and [comparisons](/compare).

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Catch alternatives?** Poke, Martin, Lindy, and Arlo. Catch, Poke, and Martin are personal AI assistants over text and voice; Lindy automates work across business apps. Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls that asks first on money or anything unclear and keeps a full audit trail.

**What is the best Catch alternative for a team?** Arlo. Catch is a polished admin assistant for one executive; Arlo is built for shared work, adding 3,000+ integrations, including apps with no API, and a logged record of every action. See the head-to-head at [Arlo vs Catch](/compare/arlo-vs-catch).

**Is there a cheaper alternative to Catch?** It depends on your volume. As of August 2026 Catch is a flat $99/month with voice calls included and a 10-day free trial. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, and a call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold. Whether Catch's flat monthly rate is better value depends on how much calling you do.

**Which Catch alternative supports WhatsApp?** Arlo does — you can text it on WhatsApp as well as in iMessage and SMS — and Martin lists it too. Catch itself works in WhatsApp, so if that is the only channel you need, it isn't a reason to switch.

**Do the alternatives ask before taking action?** Catch is consent-based and asks when unsure, which is the right default. Arlo goes further: connections resolve through policy before a run, it asks first on money or anything that can't be undone, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail).

## Try Arlo

Arlo is the Catch alternative for teams that want one assistant everywhere they work, that asks first when it matters and keeps a full audit trail. [Try Arlo](/signup) to put a colleague inside the tools you already use.

---

# ChatGPT Dots alternatives for texting and everyday tasks

> Arlo is a ChatGPT Dots alternative for calls, bookings and reminders through Messages, SMS or WhatsApp. Pally and Poke also offer messaging, while Hark provides a dedicated app and cloud browser. Dots itself supports ongoing work in ChatGPT and limited US Pro texting through iMessage or RCS. Compare the job, access and current allowance.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/chatgpt-dots-alternatives

Looking for a ChatGPT Dots alternative you can use for an everyday task? Arlo starts with the call, booking, research or reminder you send through Messages, SMS or WhatsApp. It can take the job into a business phone call, connected app or website and bring back the result.

Dots is a capable option too, particularly if you already work in ChatGPT. OpenAI has added a limited texting beta, so compare current access before choosing. We make Arlo. The official sources below were checked 4 November 2026.

## What ChatGPT Dots currently supports

A dot can keep working across conversations, use connected apps, research with its own cloud computer and run scheduled tasks. OpenAI's [current setup guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001530-getting-started-with-your-dot) covers setup in the ChatGPT mobile app, desktop app and desktop web.

Dot access varies by plan and region. OpenAI lists Pro access for adults outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK, Business Premium access in supported regions subject to workspace eligibility, and admin-enabled Enterprise beta access. See [current pricing](https://openai.com/chatgpt/pricing/) for the plans.

Texting has narrower eligibility. The [October rollout](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/whats-new/dots-october-28-2026) and setup guide confirm a limited beta for US Pro users through iMessage or RCS. Enable Texting in the dot's profile and verify your number. Business and Enterprise texting, SMS and group texts are unsupported in the current beta.

## Compare alternatives by the work you want to hand over

| Your priority | Option to consider | What to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Text a business call, booking or reminder | Arlo | Task details, destination support and current usage allowance |
| Work inside ChatGPT with an ongoing agent | ChatGPT Dots | Plan, region and separate texting eligibility |
| Use a messaging assistant across several channels | Pally | Account connections, channel and free usage limits |
| Use Recipes or get a human to handle an errand | Poke | Required plan and Poke Human availability |
| Organize browser tasks in a dedicated app | Hark Pro | Mac, web or mobile access and usage limits |

## Arlo for errands from the thread you already use

Arlo can [call a business](/phone), navigate its phone menu and wait on hold. Text it the question, any relevant details and the decision you want to retain. It also handles research, reminders and work in separately connected accounts. Slack is available for work.

For example, our [Rome dinner research task](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study) asked for three options near Termini, vegetarian dishes and a €25-per-person food budget. Arlo completed the research and saved a source-linked shortlist in 2 minutes 32 seconds. The task recorded $1.12 of allowance usage, with the original file and billing extract available to inspect.

Arlo is free to start. [Current pricing](/pricing) shows the allowance and call rates. A restaurant deposit or purchase uses a separate budget from assistant work.

## Pally and Poke for messaging workflows

[Pally's pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) lists iMessage, RCS, WhatsApp and Telegram, calls and connected apps, with free usage limits. Its optional Cloud Mac and invitation-only VIP have separate terms. See [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally) for the task and access comparison.

[Poke](https://poke.com/) offers messaging and Recipes for connected-app tasks. Its [Poke Human service](https://poke.com/faq) uses a person for errands and calls under Ultra. That is useful to consider if the task needs human assistance. See [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke).

## Hark Pro for a dedicated app

[Hark Pro](https://hark.com/) provides a proactive Home screen, Projects and its Handoff cloud browser. It now has an official [Mac app](https://hark.com/mac) alongside web and mobile access. Its [pricing](https://hark.com/pricing) includes free use with all features and paid tiers for more usage. [Arlo vs Hark](/compare/arlo-vs-hark) compares that workflow with delegating from a text thread.

## Choose one task to compare

Pick a task whose result you can inspect. A restaurant shortlist should include the options and source links. A business call should bring back what the business said. A reminder should confirm its full date, time zone and delivery channel.

[Start free with Arlo](/start) and send the errand you want off your list. Include what a good result looks like and when Arlo should ask you to decide.

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best ChatGPT Dots alternatives?** Consider Arlo for calls and everyday tasks by text, Pally for messaging workflows, Poke for Recipes and optional human errands, and Hark Pro for a dedicated app with a cloud browser. Compare each against one task you need completed.

**Can I text a ChatGPT dot?** Yes, if your US Pro account has the limited texting beta. It supports iMessage or RCS for one-to-one conversations. OpenAI's setup guide explains how to enable Texting and verify your number.

**Is a ChatGPT dot included with every ChatGPT plan?** No. OpenAI lists eligible Pro and Business Premium access, plus an admin-enabled Enterprise beta. Texting has its own narrower US Pro eligibility. Check the current plan and region rules.

**Can I set up a dot on my phone?** OpenAI currently documents setup in the ChatGPT mobile app, desktop app and desktop web. Use the current app and check your account's eligibility.

**What does Arlo cost?** Arlo starts free within an allowance, with paid plans for more usage. Check its pricing page for current amounts and call rates. The published research case recorded $1.12 for one completed task.

---

# Fyxer Alternatives — Beyond the Email Inbox

> Most Fyxer alternatives are other AI email tools — Superhuman, Gmelius, Missive — that, like Fyxer, live inside Gmail and Outlook. Arlo is the different kind of alternative: an AI colleague that works across email, iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls, connects to 3,000+ tools, asks first on money or anything unclear, and keeps an audit trail on every action.

Updated: 2026-07-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/fyxer-alternatives

Fyxer is a well-liked AI email assistant: as of July 2026 it organizes your inbox, drafts replies in your tone, and takes notes in your meetings, all inside Gmail and Outlook. If email is the whole problem, it's a solid tool. But if you're looking for a *Fyxer alternative*, it's usually because you want help that doesn't stop at the inbox — and most of the obvious alternatives have the same ceiling.

## The two kinds of Fyxer alternative

**Other email assistants.** Superhuman, Gmelius, and Missive live in the same place Fyxer does — your email client. They're faster inboxes and better drafting, and if that's your bottleneck, any of them is a reasonable swap. What none of them change is the boundary: the help ends where email ends. No Slack, no phone.

**An AI colleague across your whole stack.** [Arlo](/glossary/ai-colleague) is the other kind of alternative — not a better inbox, but an assistant that treats email as one channel among several. It does the inbox work Fyxer does, then keeps going into the tools and conversations that live outside it.

## Fyxer vs. Arlo

| | Fyxer | Arlo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Email triage and drafting | Yes | Yes |
| Meeting notes | Yes | Yes |
| Slack | No | Yes |
| iMessage / SMS | No | Yes |
| Phone calls | No | Yes, places them |
| Integrations | Gmail & Outlook | 3,000+ (incl. no-API via browser) |
| Takes action in other tools | Limited to email | Yes, across your stack |
| Approval gate + audit trail | Not stated | Asks first on money or anything unclear; full audit trail |

## Why teams switch to Arlo

- **It works past the inbox.** The same assistant that triages your email also answers in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), texts in iMessage and WhatsApp, and [picks up the phone](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls). Context follows the work instead of resetting at the edge of Gmail.
- **It acts across your tools.** Beyond drafting a reply, Arlo opens the ticket, updates the CRM, and runs the follow-up — across 3,000+ integrations, including internal systems with no API.
- **It's governed.** Clear requests run, it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and every action lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). That's the difference between a smart inbox and something a team can hand real work to.

## How to choose

If your bottleneck is strictly email and meeting notes, Fyxer — or another inbox tool like Superhuman — will serve you well. If you want one assistant that does the email work *and* everything around it, across your team's channels and with governance you can audit, that's Arlo. See how it fits as an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) or [for founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), or browse all [comparisons](/compare).

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Fyxer alternatives?** They come in two kinds. Other email assistants — Superhuman, Gmelius, Missive — live inside your inbox like Fyxer does and make it faster. Arlo is the other kind: an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that does the inbox work and then keeps going into Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, and phone calls.

**Is there a Fyxer alternative that works outside email?** That's the main reason to look past the inbox tools. Fyxer, Superhuman, Gmelius, and Missive all stop where email stops. Arlo treats email as one channel among several and connects to 3,000+ tools, including internal systems with no API.

**Can a Fyxer alternative make phone calls?** Arlo [places calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) and keeps a transcript of each one. Fyxer and the other email-native tools do not.

**Does Fyxer work with Slack?** No — Fyxer is an email tool, living in Gmail and Outlook. Arlo works in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), iMessage and SMS, and on calls, with one memory across all of them.

**Do Fyxer alternatives ask before sending an email?** Arlo does when it drafts the email itself: it shows you the message before it goes to someone you know, unless you tell it to just send. If you ask it clearly to send something, it sends it and tells you. Every action lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). An approval gate is not a stated feature of Fyxer's public materials.

**When is Fyxer still the better choice?** When your bottleneck genuinely is email and meeting notes. Fyxer, or an inbox tool like Superhuman, will serve you well and feel lighter than a full AI colleague. Switch when the work you want handled starts outside the inbox.

## Try Arlo

Arlo is the Fyxer alternative for people who want more than a better inbox — an AI colleague across email, chat, and calls, with a full audit trail. [Try Arlo](/signup) and hand off the first thing that isn't email.

---

# Hark Pro alternatives: AI assistants you can text or call

> Arlo, Pally and Poke are Hark Pro alternatives you can reach through messaging apps. Arlo and Pally publish AI calling; Poke Human uses a person for errands under Ultra. Meta Muse combines an app with WhatsApp. Choose by your task, channel, availability and usage limits.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/hark-alternatives

Looking at Hark alternatives after its Mac launch? Arlo handles personal calls, bookings and everyday tasks from Messages or WhatsApp. Send the business and the question, and it can handle the phone menu, queue and conversation. Compare the options below by the job you want off your list.

This page covers Brett Adcock's Hark Pro at hark.com, not Hark Audio or the Shopify app. We make Arlo. Official product descriptions were checked 4 November 2026; this is a vendor-authored comparison, not an independent performance test.

## Hark is now on Mac too

The official [Hark for Mac page](https://hark.com/mac) offers a desktop app alongside Hark's web and mobile access. You can keep using its Home screen, Projects and Handoff workflow from a dedicated Mac app. If you want to hand off an errand from Messages or WhatsApp, compare the messaging options below.

## Which Hark alternative fits your task?

| Your priority | Start with | What to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hand off a business call from your texts | Arlo or Pally | Destination support, approval boundaries and the reported outcome |
| An assistant built around messaging and Recipes | Poke | The plan needed for your automation or real-world errand |
| A personal agent in an app or WhatsApp | Muse | Regional availability, connected services and usage limits |
| Browser tasks with a proactive home screen | Hark Pro itself | Whether its app and account access fit your routine |

A calendar question, a supplier call and a checkout need different capabilities. For the direct comparison with Arlo, see [Arlo vs Hark Pro](/compare/arlo-vs-hark). For Hark versus an agent that also works in WhatsApp, see [Hark Pro vs Muse](/compare/hark-vs-muse).

## Arlo: personal tasks from a text thread

Try Arlo if you want to [text an assistant](/imessage) to call a business, check a restaurant's availability or coordinate plans. It can navigate phone menus and wait on hold. It also works in WhatsApp and in Slack for work; you do not need a company or a team to use it.

For example, ask it to call a repair shop, check the pickup time and report back before approving extra charges. For work you can inspect now, our [restaurant research case](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study) includes the three-option shortlist Arlo saved and the $1.12 recorded allowance usage.

Arlo checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. It starts free within an allowance. The [pricing page](/pricing) has current plan limits and call rates. For a concrete starting point, see [calls you can hand to Arlo](/phone).

## Pally and Poke: two messaging-first alternatives

[Pally](https://pally.com/) describes calls, bookings and follow-ups from your messages. Its [pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) now lists direct WhatsApp messaging as well as iMessage, RCS and Telegram. See [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally).

[Poke](https://poke.com/) emphasizes connected apps and reusable Recipes. Its [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) also describes **Poke Human**, where a person handles real-world errands, including calls, under Ultra. That is a different delivery model from an AI placing the call itself. See [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) for that distinction and current pricing.

## Muse: an app and WhatsApp

Meta's [Muse announcement](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/) describes an agent with its own cloud computer, available through its app and WhatsApp. Check regional availability before planning a switch. Our [Hark Pro vs Muse comparison](/compare/hark-vs-muse) covers the decision without assuming either agent is available to every account.

## What Hark Pro costs

Hark's [pricing page](https://hark.com/pricing) lists free use with all features, Pro² at $20 a month for twice the usage and Pro³ at $100 a month for ten times the usage. Those are the published web-plan figures; check the checkout you use for current billing, taxes and in-app prices.

Hark does not publish a fixed free task count there. Its usage multipliers are not a guarantee of a particular number of completed bookings.

## Is Hark Pro safe to connect to your accounts?

Hark's [current privacy policy](https://hark.com/privacy-policy) says account content is excluded from AI model training, with an exception for feedback you choose to submit. Its [terms](https://hark.com/terms) describe actions through connected accounts and permission settings. We have not independently audited its security.

For any assistant, check which accounts you connect, what actions you authorize and how you can revoke access. A no-training policy does not itself establish reliability or guarantee that an action will match your intent.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send a business you need called and the question you want answered. Arlo handles the menu and hold time, then brings back the outcome.

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Hark Pro alternatives?** Arlo, Pally and Poke are messaging-first options; Muse offers an app and WhatsApp. Pick by the task, required accounts, delivery channel and current limits. Arlo supports personal errands as well as work.

**Does Hark Pro work on Mac?** Yes. Hark offers an official Mac app alongside web, iOS and Android access. Arlo is an alternative for delegating through Messages, SMS or WhatsApp.

**Is Hark Pro free?** Hark's pricing page lists free use with all features and $20 and $100 monthly web tiers for more usage. A fixed free task allowance is not stated there. Check Hark's checkout for your current plan and billing details.

**Can I text Hark Pro on iMessage or SMS?** The Hark pages reviewed describe web, Mac, iOS and Android apps, not a public assistant number for iMessage or SMS. Providing a phone number during signup does not establish a texting channel. Arlo is an alternative you can text.

**Does Hark Pro make phone calls?** Outbound business calling is not described in the Hark product pages reviewed for this comparison. That is a limit of the published information, not proof it can never do so. Arlo and Pally publish outbound calling capabilities.

**Does Hark train on my data?** Its current privacy policy excludes account content from model training except feedback you submit. Read the policy for the precise scope; we have not conducted an independent privacy audit.

---

# Hark Pro vs Muse: apps, WhatsApp, pricing and permissions

> Hark Pro and Meta Muse use cloud computers to complete tasks. Hark offers Mac, web and mobile apps with a proactive Home screen, Projects and Handoff. Muse also supports WhatsApp. Both offer free use and paid plans. Start with availability, then compare the interface and account access your task needs.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/hark-vs-muse

Hark Pro and Muse both handle tasks through connected accounts and a cloud computer. Hark now offers a Mac app alongside web and mobile access. Muse also offers WhatsApp. Compare the interface and availability below, or consider Arlo if you want to delegate personal calls from Messages.

We make Arlo, another personal assistant. The official sources linked here were checked 4 November 2026. This compares Hark Pro from hark.com with Meta's Muse using published capabilities, not hands-on performance results.

## Compare apps, access and pricing

| Decision | Hark Pro | Meta Muse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where to ask | Web, Mac, iOS and Android apps | App, web and WhatsApp |
| Computer-based work | Handoff browser agent | Muse Secure VM |
| Free use | All features included; fixed free task count unstated | Free usage limit that refreshes |
| More usage | Published $20 / $100 monthly web tiers | Power at $20 / Max at $100 monthly |
| Availability | Check the signup and task support for your account | Limited testing; location and account eligibility apply |

The paid figures come from [Hark's pricing page](https://hark.com/pricing) and [Meta's subscription help page](https://www.meta.com/help/subscriptions/1021145227643680/); check your current checkout and region.

## Hark: Home, Projects and Handoff

Hark's [homepage](https://hark.com/) organizes its pitch around an ongoing conversation, Projects, a proactive home screen and Handoff. Its official [Mac app](https://hark.com/mac) gives desktop users another way to work in that interface. The [Handoff guide](https://hark.com/using-hark) describes website work on its cloud computer.

For a task such as finding a table, decide whether you need a shortlist or a confirmed reservation, then give the assistant your date, group size and budget.

## Choose Muse if its app or WhatsApp fits you

Meta's [Muse announcement](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/) describes an agent in its own app or WhatsApp, running on a dedicated cloud computer. That may fit someone who wants to delegate through WhatsApp instead of always opening a separate app.

Availability comes first. Meta's current subscription help says Muse remains in limited testing and is not available everywhere. Check your account before planning a workflow around a feature or plan.

Hark has feature-level regional limits too: its [privacy policy](https://hark.com/privacy-policy) says Memory is unavailable in the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland. Check the feature you need, not just whether you can sign up.

## How the free and paid plans compare

Both publish free use and paid options. Hark describes paid usage multipliers. Meta lists weekly token allowances: 500 million on Power and 3 billion on Max. Neither figure tells you how many of your errands will finish. We have not measured equivalent tasks across the two.

A fair comparison starts with the same job and includes all costs: assistant usage, any required add-on and merchant charges. A paid assistant plan does not cover the cost of the item it buys for you. For the broader field, see [Hark alternatives](/compare/hark-alternatives) and [Muse alternatives](/compare/muse-alternatives).

## Permissions before a real transaction

Hark's [terms](https://hark.com/terms) describe how it can act on your behalf through connected accounts. Meta's announcement describes asking for approval around actions such as purchases and sends. Review the settings you actually enable; do not assume every action always receives a fresh approval.

Hark's [privacy policy](https://hark.com/privacy-policy) excludes account content from model training except feedback you submit. Meta's [Muse safety documentation](https://security.muse.ai/) describes its own architecture. These published policies and designs are not an independent audit or a guarantee that an agent will never make a mistake.

For an initial trial, ask for options without a purchase: “Find two restaurants near the station for four on Friday after eight. Show the choices; do not reserve or pay.” This is an illustrative brief, not a reported test result. Compare the relevance of the choices and respect for the stopping point.

## Give Arlo the task from Messages

Arlo is another option for personal calls, bookings and everyday tasks through [Messages](/imessage) or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), plus Slack for work. It can [call a business](/phone), navigate menus and wait on hold. It checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone.

For a completed example, our [restaurant research case](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study) shows Arlo comparing three options and saving a source-linked shortlist. The task recorded $1.12 of allowance usage. [Arlo pricing](/pricing) has the current free allowance and call rates.

[Start free with Arlo](/start) and text a call, booking request or everyday task. Arlo also works in WhatsApp and inside Slack for work. Connect other accounts when your task needs them.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between Hark Pro and Muse?** Hark emphasizes its proactive app and Handoff browser agent. Meta Muse uses its own cloud computer and also supports WhatsApp. Compare availability, required access and the task you want completed.

**Does Hark Pro have a Mac app?** Yes. Its official Mac download page provides desktop access alongside its web and mobile apps. Handoff uses a cloud computer for website work.

**Which is free?** Both publish free usage with limits and paid options for more. Hark's pricing page does not state a fixed free task count. Check current account limits rather than assuming either is unlimited.

**Can I use Hark Pro or Muse on WhatsApp?** Meta's announcement lists WhatsApp for Muse. The Hark product pages reviewed describe its own apps, not a direct WhatsApp assistant channel. Confirm your account's current availability.

**Which is cheaper?** Both publish $20 and $100 monthly paid options, but the allowances are not equivalent task counts. We have not measured equal workloads. Check your actual checkout, region and expected task usage.

---

# Hark vs Poke: app, messaging and human help compared

> Hark Pro centers tasks in its own app and browser agent. Poke uses messaging channels and connected apps, with Poke Human providing a person for errands under Ultra. Choose by where you want to ask, the access your task needs and whether you want human assistance.

Updated: 2026-11-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/hark-vs-poke

Hark gives you web, Mac and mobile apps for projects and browser tasks. Poke puts connected-app work in a messaging conversation, with a human errand service under Ultra. The choice is how you want to ask and who should handle the job.

We make Arlo. The linked official descriptions were checked 4 November 2026. This comparison covers published features and plans.

## What changes your choice

| Decision | Hark Pro | Poke |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where to ask | Web, Mac, iOS and Android apps | Messages, WhatsApp and Telegram |
| Task workflow | Projects and Handoff browser agent | Connected apps and Recipes |
| Starting point | Free use with all features | Free plan; paid tiers add headroom |
| Calling route in reviewed pages | Outbound business calling not described | Poke Human uses a person under Ultra |

## Hark: a place for ongoing projects

[Hark's homepage](https://hark.com/) describes a single conversation, Projects and Handoff, its agent with a browser on its own computer. Its official [Mac app](https://hark.com/mac) adds a desktop route for ongoing jobs you want to revisit. The [Handoff guide](https://hark.com/using-hark) describes the cloud computer that handles website tasks.

The reviewed Hark pages do not describe a direct iMessage or WhatsApp assistant channel or outbound business calls. That does not prove those capabilities could never be supported.

An illustrative request: "Find two hotels near the venue for these dates. Show cancellation terms and total cost. Do not reserve or pay." This is an example, not a completed test. Check whether the result contains options or an actual reservation.

## Poke: messaging with an optional human route

[Poke](https://poke.com/) lists Messages, WhatsApp and Telegram and uses Recipes for connected tasks. Check your available channel and required account connections.

The [Poke Human FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) describes real people handling errands under Ultra, including calls and reservations. It says operators receive the details needed for the task rather than the user's full chat history or integrations. Treat that as Poke's published description, not an independent privacy finding.

Ask what the operator may agree to and which details they receive. Keep purchases and fees separate from permission to gather information.

## Compare the cost of the actual job

[Hark pricing](https://hark.com/pricing) lists all features on the free plan, with $20 monthly for twice the usage and $100 for ten times the usage. It does not publish a fixed free task count. [Poke pricing](https://poke.com/pricing) lists Free, $19 Pro and $199 Ultra, with pay-as-you-go usage beyond Ultra credits. Merchant expenses remain separate from an assistant subscription.

Neither pricing structure establishes how many of your errands will finish. Start with the same bounded job and compare the result, necessary access and charges before increasing usage. The wider choices are in [Hark alternatives](/compare/hark-alternatives) and [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives).

Hark also has a feature-specific regional constraint: its [privacy policy](https://hark.com/privacy-policy) says Memory is unavailable in the EEA, UK and Switzerland. Check the feature you need, even if signup works.

## Try Arlo for the business call

If your next task needs a phone conversation, Arlo can call the business, navigate menus and wait on hold from a request in Messages or WhatsApp. Send the number or business name, the question and the decisions you want to keep.

For a completed research example, see the [source-linked restaurant shortlist](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study) Arlo saved from a Messages brief. It recorded $1.12 of allowance usage.

[Start free with one task](/start). Arlo also works in Slack when you need help at work.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is Hark or Poke better?** Choose by interface and task. Hark describes an app and browser agent; Poke describes messaging and a human errand option. This page does not prove a performance winner.

**Does Hark work on Mac?** Yes. Hark publishes an official Mac app alongside web, iOS and Android access. Poke lists its supported messaging channels.

**Can I text Hark like Poke?** Poke lists messaging channels. The reviewed Hark pages describe its own apps and web access, without a direct iMessage or WhatsApp channel.

**Does Poke use AI to make every call?** Its documented Poke Human route uses a real person under Ultra. Do not treat that service as an AI placing the call.

**Are both free?** Both publish free offerings. Their allowances and paid services differ; check the current plan and whether your intended task requires a paid service.

---

# Instinct AI alternatives you can use today — no invite needed

> The best Instinct AI alternatives you can use today, with no invite, are Arlo (for work over iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack and calls, with approvals), Pally (personal, free with every feature), Muse (Meta's free agent, US and Canada), Poke, Martin and OpenClaw (open source). As of October 2026 Instinct is invite-only, with five invites per member.

Updated: 2026-10-07 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/instinct-alternatives

Instinct AI, the AI assistant from Spear Street Technology, went viral in late August 2026: an assistant you text or call that uses a phone and a computer the way a person would. On 28 September 2026 it raised a $1 billion Series C at a $10 billion valuation from Sequoia, Benchmark and Coatue ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/viral-ai-agent-instinct-raises-1b-series-c-at-a-10b-valuation/)). Getting in is still the hard part. As of October 2026 Instinct is in invite-only early access: each member gets five invites to share ([Fortune](https://fortune.com/2026/09/30/noah-shinn-instinct-ai-assistant-meta-muse-alexandr-wang-tech-series-c-ai-agent-mark-zuckerberg/), 30 September 2026), and everyone else joins a waitlist.

If you're on that waitlist, or you got in and want to compare, these are the assistants you can start with today. This page is written by Arlo, so weigh it accordingly. We've kept every claim about Instinct to its own site, its terms, and dated reporting, and we say where it is the better pick.

## What Instinct is (as of October 2026)

- **Who makes it:** Spear Street Technology, Inc., in San Francisco, founded by Noah Shinn.
- **How you reach it:** you text it on iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, or call it, and it can text or call you first. Each Instinct has its own email address. Group chats, where friends without an account can join in, have been in early access since 5 October 2026 ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/05/instinct-brings-its-ai-agent-to-group-chats-even-for-friends-without-an-account/)), and so are the calls it places to businesses for you.
- **How it works:** it runs a computer in the cloud that keeps the logins you give it and carries on working between your messages, so multi-step errands keep going without you. It has no mobile app.
- **Who it's for:** personal life. It coordinates with friends' Instincts and in group chats, but has no team workspace, admin controls or business plan, and its terms permit use "for your personal use only".
- **Shopping:** purchases go through Stripe Link, which creates a one-time card after you approve. Since 28 September 2026 it can also set up orders from Shopify stores for you to check out with Shop Pay.
- **Price:** free, with no published pricing; its terms allow for paid features later.
- **Access:** invite-only. Each member gets five invites to share; everyone else joins the waitlist.

## The alternatives at a glance

| Assistant | Can you start today? | Where you talk to it | Built for | Phone calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Arlo** | Yes — free to start | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack | Work — founders, operators, teams | Places calls, through phone menus and hold |
| **Pally** | Yes — free, with a weekly usage limit | iMessage, Android RCS, SMS, Telegram | Personal life | Included, under the weekly limit |
| **Muse** | US and Canada — free, with a weekly usage limit | Its own app (iPhone, iPad, Android, web, Mac), WhatsApp | Personal life and small business | US businesses, in beta |
| **Poke** | Yes | iMessage, SMS, Telegram; WhatsApp in some markets | Personal life | — |
| **Martin** | Yes — free trial | SMS, WhatsApp, email, Slack, iOS app | Busy individuals | Yes |
| **OpenClaw** | Yes — you host it | WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, iMessage and more | Technical users | Via a voice plugin |
| Instinct | Invite only | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp; group chats in early access | Personal life | You call it, it calls you; businesses in early access |

## Arlo — the alternative when the work isn't only yours

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) you text on [iMessage](/imessage), SMS or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), use inside [Slack](/slack), or hand a [phone call](/phone) to. It places calls to people and businesses, and can work through phone menus and wait on hold. It connects to Gmail, your calendar, Slack, Notion, Linear, HubSpot and 3,000+ other tools, and reaches software with no API through a secure browser session you sign into once. Like Instinct, it goes and does the errand.

Where it differs is how it handles acting on your behalf. Arlo does what you clearly ask and tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would spend your money or can't be undone, and every tool call, source and approval is written to an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back. It's built for work that other people depend on, and anyone can start today: it's free to start, with no card, then runs on monthly plans from $20. Head-to-head: [Arlo vs Instinct AI](/compare/arlo-vs-instinct).

## Pally — free, with every feature

Pally (pally.com), a Y Combinator company, is the closest texting match to Instinct's personal-life pitch. You chat with it over iMessage, Android RCS, SMS and Telegram. It reads and triages your WhatsApp inbox, but WhatsApp isn't where you talk to it. It books flights, hotels and rental cars, and pays on a single-use card capped at the amount you approve (US only for now) or with your saved card after one approval of the exact total. Its calls work through phone menus and wait on hold.

Since 6 October 2026 Pally is free for everyone with every feature, under one usage limit that refills through the week. Its Pro and Max subscriptions are gone ([Pally's terms](https://pally.com/terms)). Calls are included under that weekly limit, and every account now gets its own phone number and email address. Pally shows you what it proposes word for word, though things you explicitly ask for can go out without a second confirmation. More: [Pally alternatives](/compare/pally-alternatives) and [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally).

## Muse — Meta's free agent, in the US and Canada

Muse, Meta's AI agent, launched on 8 September 2026 ([Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/)) and is available to adults in the US and Canada. You use it in its own app on iPhone, iPad, Android, the web or the Mac, or connect it to WhatsApp and text it there. It runs on its own cloud computer with a browser you can watch and take over, books travel and dinners, pays with one-time Link by Stripe cards, and is testing calls to US businesses. It's free with a weekly usage limit, and Power ($20 a month) and Max ($100 a month) raise that limit ([Meta Help Centre](https://www.meta.com/help/subscriptions/1021145227643680/)). By default it asks before some actions, and Engadget suggests switching it to always ask; it also uses your data for training unless you opt out ([Engadget](https://www.engadget.com/2256577/how-to-get-started-with-meta-s-new-ai-agent-muse/), September 2026). The two agents are compared head to head in [Instinct vs Muse](/compare/instinct-vs-muse), and the wider field is in [Muse alternatives](/compare/muse-alternatives).

## Poke — the personal texting pick

Poke lives in iMessage, SMS and Telegram, with WhatsApp in some markets, connects to your email, calendar and 30-plus personal apps, and runs life admin through one-tap "Recipes." Cognition, the lab behind the Devin coding agent, acquired its maker in July 2026, and Poke keeps running. If what drew you to Instinct was texting an assistant about your own life, Poke is the most polished way to do that today. See [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke).

## Martin — texts, WhatsApp and calls

Martin pitches itself as a personal AI like Jarvis. You reach it over SMS, WhatsApp, email and Slack or through its iOS app; it manages your calendar and inbox, sets reminders, and makes calls for you. It's a subscription with a free trial. Of the open-access options it's closest to Instinct's text-and-call shape for one person. See [Arlo vs Martin](/compare/arlo-vs-martin).

## OpenClaw — if you'd rather run it yourself

OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted assistant: you run it on your own machine or server and connect it to the messaging apps you already use — WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Signal, iMessage and more. It can browse the web, fill forms and run tasks, and your data stays on your hardware. It's free, but you set it up, maintain it, and decide how much access to give it. For developers who want Instinct-style autonomy without a waitlist or a vendor holding their logins, it's the natural pick.

## Is Instinct safe to use?

It depends on what you connect. Instinct's appeal is that it acts on its own. Like most AI products' terms, Instinct's disclaim guarantees, and they are candid about what acting for you means. They appoint Instinct as your agent and say commitments it makes "shall be binding on you as if entered into directly by you". They say Instinct "may implement safeguards, confirmation requirements, or other controls" but make "no representation or warranty that such safeguards will prevent unintended or erroneous Actions", and that "Records of Actions available through the Services may not always be accurate". It may train on your materials unless you opt out in its settings, and anything you keep in its Vault is never used for training.

What users have reported so far, by date:

- **24 August 2026.** Early users' experiences, collected by [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/24/instincts-powerful-ai-assistant-is-raising-privacy-and-security-concerns/): one user who otherwise praised it posted that it had sent an innocuous email "without checking with me first". Another found her emails still stored after she disconnected Gmail; Instinct has since added a way to delete them. One founder tested how it handled a planted phishing email and deleted his account afterwards. Instinct told the Wall Street Journal it was taking the concerns seriously.
- **23 September 2026.** A user posted what looked like a stranger's financial document. Shinn said it was a hallucination: "This was not a data breach, no user data was shared." He announced a hallucination-detection layer the same day ([Shinn on X](https://x.com/noahrshinn/status/2102896837522804954); [Business Insider via Yahoo](https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/deals/articles/instincts-founder-says-viral-ai-063054528.html), 24 September 2026).
- **24 September 2026.** Business Insider reported that Instinct read a Luma one-time login code from a user's Gmail without asking, used it to cancel RSVPs, and then misdescribed what it had done ([summary via Yahoo](https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/meta-ai/articles/hallucinations-2fa-prompts-hidden-access-172455494.html), 25 September 2026).
- **30 September 2026.** After Instinct launched Selections, curated product recommendations sent to users, some objected publicly to the unsolicited suggestions ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/instincts-new-product-recommendations-are-giving-some-users-the-ick/)).

The same three questions apply to Instinct and to every alternative on this page:

1. **Does it ask before it sends or buys?** And is that a setting, or a promise?
2. **Is there a record you can trust** of what it did, what it sent, and who approved it?
3. **What happens to your data** when you disconnect an account or leave?

## How to choose

- **You want an assistant for your own life and don't mind a wait:** Instinct, if you can get an invite.
- **You want that today:** Pally for breadth at no cost, Muse if you're in the US or Canada and want Meta's free agent, Poke for polish, Martin for texts and calls.
- **You'd rather open an app than text:** Hark Pro, from Brett Adcock's AI lab Hark, launched free on 6 October 2026 for iOS, Android and the web ([Hark](https://hark.com/articles/introducing-hark-pro)); see [Hark Pro alternatives](/compare/hark-alternatives).
- **You want to own the whole thing:** OpenClaw.
- **The work involves other people** — your company's inbox, your team's Slack, customers on the phone — and you need to see what was done and who approved it: Arlo.

Instinct, Pally, Muse and Hark Pro details on this page reflect their public sites and dated reporting as of October 2026; Poke, Martin and OpenClaw were last checked in September 2026. Instinct in particular is changing week to week, so check its own site for the current state.

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Instinct AI alternatives?** The best alternatives you can use without an invite are Arlo for work across iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack and phone calls; Pally for personal life, free with every feature; Muse, Meta's free agent in the US and Canada; Poke for personal texting; Martin for SMS, WhatsApp and calls; and OpenClaw if you want to host an open-source assistant yourself.

**Which Instinct AI alternatives need no invite?** All of them. Arlo, Pally, Poke, Martin and OpenClaw are open to anyone today, and Muse is open to adults in the US and Canada. Only Instinct needs an invite or a spot off its waitlist.

**How do I get an Instinct invite?** As of October 2026 Instinct is invite-only. Each member gets five invites to share, and everyone else joins the waitlist. There is no public sign-up.

**Is Instinct AI free, and what does it cost?** It's free for now. As of October 2026 Instinct has no published price, plans or limits, and it hadn't announced a price for its Concierge calling service as of 3 October ([Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/tech/ai-agents-make-phone-calls)); its terms allow for paid features later. Pally and Muse are also free, each with a weekly usage limit. Arlo is free to start too, with $10 of usage a month and no card, then runs on monthly plans from $20.

**Is Instinct AI safe?** It can act for you with real authority. Its terms say commitments it makes are binding on you and, like most AI products', don't guarantee its safeguards prevent mistakes. Users have reported it sending an email without checking first (August 2026) and reading a login code from Gmail without asking (September 2026), and it trains on your materials unless you opt out. Whichever assistant you choose, check whether it asks before sending, keeps a record you can trust, and deletes your data when you disconnect.

**Is Instinct AI legit?** Yes. It's made by Spear Street Technology, founded by Noah Shinn, and on 28 September 2026 it raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation from Sequoia, Benchmark and Coatue ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/viral-ai-agent-instinct-raises-1b-series-c-at-a-10b-valuation/)). It's also early: invite-only, unpriced, and changing week to week.

**Is there an Instinct alternative for work?** Yes. Instinct is built for personal life: it coordinates with friends' Instincts and in group chats, but has no team workspace, admin controls or business plan, and its terms license it "for your personal use only". Arlo is built for work: it runs inside Slack as well as iMessage, SMS and WhatsApp, connects to a company's shared tools, asks first on money or anything unclear, and keeps an audit trail of every action and approval.

**Does Instinct AI work on WhatsApp?** Yes. Once you're in, you can text Instinct on WhatsApp as well as iMessage and SMS. Among the alternatives, Arlo and Martin work over WhatsApp, Muse can be connected to WhatsApp in the US and Canada, and Poke does in some markets. OpenClaw can be connected to WhatsApp if you host it yourself. Pally reads your WhatsApp inbox, but you chat with it elsewhere.

**How does Instinct compare with Meta's Muse?** Both are personal agents that run their own cloud computer, pay with one-time Stripe Link cards, use Shop Pay for Shopify orders, and are testing calls to businesses. Muse is open now in the US and Canada through its own apps and WhatsApp, free with a weekly limit; Instinct is invite-only, free, and lives in your texts. Full comparison: [Instinct vs Muse](/compare/instinct-vs-muse).

---

# Instinct vs Meta Muse — how the two personal AI agents compare

> Instinct and Muse are personal AI agents that run errands on their own cloud computers and pay with one-time Link cards. Instinct, from Spear Street Technology, is one you text or call; it is invite-only and free. Muse, Meta's AI agent, lives in its own apps and WhatsApp, is open to adults in the US and Canada, and is free up to a weekly limit, with paid plans at $20 and $100 a month.

Updated: 2026-10-07 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/instinct-vs-muse

Instinct, the AI assistant from Spear Street Technology, and Muse, Meta's AI agent, are the two personal agents people search for side by side this autumn. Both run errands on a cloud computer of their own, both pay with one-time card numbers from Stripe's Link, both check out on Shopify stores with Shop Pay, and both started calling businesses in the same week of September 2026 ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/17/rival-ai-agents-instinct-and-metas-muse-both-add-the-ability-to-make-calls/)). They differ on who can get in, where you reach them, and how often they stop to ask.

TechCrunch counts [OpenAI's Dots](/compare/chatgpt-dots-alternatives) and Hark Pro, from Brett Adcock's AI lab Hark, in the same field ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/06/hark-releases-an-ai-personal-assistant-with-a-focus-on-privacy/)). Hark Pro launched on 6 October; we cover it in [Hark Pro alternatives](/compare/hark-alternatives).

This comparison is written by Arlo, which makes a third assistant, built for work; we cover it briefly near the end. The facts about Instinct and Muse come from their own sites, terms and help pages, and from dated reporting, as of October 2026.

## What Instinct is (as of October 2026)

- **Made by:** Spear Street Technology, Inc., which does business as Instinct, in San Francisco. Its founder and CEO is Noah Shinn.
- **Funding:** a $1 billion Series C at a $10 billion valuation on 28 September 2026, from Sequoia, Benchmark and Coatue ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/viral-ai-agent-instinct-raises-1b-series-c-at-a-10b-valuation/)).
- **Access:** invite-only early access. Each member gets five invites, and everyone else joins a waitlist ([Fortune](https://fortune.com/2026/09/30/noah-shinn-instinct-ai-assistant-meta-muse-alexandr-wang-tech-series-c-ai-agent-mark-zuckerberg/), 30 September).
- **Where you reach it:** you text it on iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, or call it, and it can call you. It has its own phone number and its own email address. Group chats arrived in early access on 5 October ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/05/instinct-brings-its-ai-agent-to-group-chats-even-for-friends-without-an-account/)). There's no mobile app.
- **How it works:** a cloud computer of its own, connected to your email, calendar and other accounts as you allow.
- **Price:** free, with no published pricing. Its terms allow fees later.
- **Use:** its terms license it "for your personal use only" ([terms](https://instinct.com/terms)).

## What Muse is (as of October 2026)

- **Made by:** Meta. Meta Superintelligence Labs built it, and it launched in the US on 8 September 2026 ([Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/)) and in Canada on 18 September. It's a separate product from Meta AI.
- **Scale:** the top free iPhone app in the US since 18 September. [TIME](https://time.com/article/2026/10/06/meta-muse-ai-agent-privacy/) reported 5 million downloads and 4 million active users on 6 October.
- **Access:** anyone 18 or over in the US and Canada, with no invite ([muse.ai/business](https://muse.ai/business)).
- **Where you use it:** apps for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets; the web at muse.ai; a Mac app that can use your computer; and WhatsApp, once you connect it.
- **How it works:** Muse Secure VM, a cloud computer with a browser you can watch and step into.
- **Price:** free up to a weekly limit. Power costs $20 a month and Max $100 a month ([Meta Help Centre](https://www.meta.com/help/subscriptions/1021145227643680/)).
- **Use:** personal life, and since 29 September small businesses ([Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-small-business)). Plans attach to one Meta account.

## Instinct vs Muse, category by category

### Access and invites

Muse is easier to get. Anyone 18 or over in the US and Canada can download it today. Instinct is invite-only: you need one of a member's five invites, or a place on the waitlist. Muse isn't available outside the US and Canada, and Meta has given no timing for other countries. Instinct hasn't published a list of countries.

### Where you use it

Instinct lives in your messages: iMessage, SMS and WhatsApp, plus phone calls in both directions and its own email address you can forward or CC. It has no app. Muse is the reverse: apps for phone, tablet and Mac, a web app, and WhatsApp once you connect it, but no iMessage, SMS or phone number. On the Mac, Muse can use your computer, and you can watch its cloud browser and take over.

### Approvals

Both ask before spending. Instinct's purchases through Link need your approval, you check out Shopify orders yourself with Shop Pay, and in group chats it asks before sharing anything. Beyond that, it acts and checks in when it needs your input. Its terms appoint it "as your agent", make the agreements it enters binding on you, and give "no representation or warranty" that its safeguards will prevent unintended actions ([terms](https://instinct.com/terms)).

Muse asks before actions such as sending messages, making purchases or sharing information with a connected app, and you can allow once, always allow or deny ([Meta](https://ai.meta.com/muse/)). [Engadget](https://www.engadget.com/2256577/how-to-get-started-with-meta-s-new-ai-agent-muse/) found the default asks for only some actions and suggests switching to always ask. Meta's Sentinel system lets read-only and low-risk actions go ahead without asking. Muse keeps an audit trail. Instinct's terms say its records of actions "may not always be accurate".

### Payments and commerce

Both use one-time card numbers from Link and Shop Pay on Shopify stores. Muse reaches further into retail: it can pay with a card you've saved on a shop's site, eligible Link purchases get purchase protection ([Meta Help Centre](https://www.meta.com/help/artificial-intelligence/1436362127544482/)), and it added connectors for Walmart, Best Buy, Sephora, Gap, Wayfair and Expedia on 23 September ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/23/everything-new-coming-to-metas-ai-agent-muse/)). Amazon has blocked Muse since 20 September ([The Paypers](https://thepaypers.com/payments/news/amazon-blocks-metas-muse-ai-agent-from-shopping-on-its-platform)). Mark Zuckerberg said at Meta Connect on 23 September that Meta expects to make money from a small fee on transactions.

Instinct's strength is travel and high-touch errands. Shinn says close to $1 billion a year in transactions runs through it, about half of it travel ([Fortune](https://fortune.com/2026/09/30/noah-shinn-instinct-ai-assistant-meta-muse-alexandr-wang-tech-series-c-ai-agent-mark-zuckerberg/)), and its Concierge service handles high-end bookings and bill disputes. In late September it began sending curated product suggestions, called Instinct Selections, which some users objected to ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/instincts-new-product-recommendations-are-giving-some-users-the-ick/)).

### Calls

You can call Instinct, and it can call you. Its Concierge calls to businesses have been rolling out to early-access users since 16 September, and Fox News reported on 3 October that they were still limited to some of those users ([Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/tech/ai-agents-make-phone-calls)). Muse calls US businesses in a beta that expanded on 16 September. Muse has no phone number you can call. Reuters reported that Meta had tested having contractors place some Muse calls for its employees; a Meta VP said starting without proper disclosures "was a miss", and the test was rolled back ([BNN Bloomberg/Reuters](https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/artificial-intelligence/2026/09/22/meta-testing-a-human-concierge-for-its-new-personal-ai-agent-muse-reuters-exclusive/)).

### Privacy and training

Both train on your data by default, and both let you opt out. Instinct exempts anything you put in its Vault and your Google Workspace data, but the opt-out doesn't cover material flagged for safety review. Disconnecting an account doesn't delete what Instinct has indexed; deletion is a separate request ([privacy policy](https://instinct.com/privacy-policy)).

Meta keeps Muse conversations out of its ad systems, but its [security blog](https://research.meta.ai/blog/security-and-safety-for-ai-agents-our-approach-with-muse) says what Muse does on the web shows up to sites as your own activity and may influence ads indirectly. TIME reported that Muse keeps continuously updated profiles of the people in your life, including people who don't use Muse. Meta didn't dispute it, and said each user's data stays isolated ([TIME](https://time.com/article/2026/10/06/meta-muse-ai-agent-privacy/)).

### Incidents

Instinct:

- An early user said it sent an email "without checking with me first", and another found her emails still stored after she disconnected Gmail; Instinct later added a way to delete them ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/24/instincts-powerful-ai-assistant-is-raising-privacy-and-security-concerns/), 24 August).
- Business Insider reported on 24 September that it read a one-time login code from a user's Gmail without asking, used it to cancel RSVPs, and then misdescribed what it had done ([summary via Yahoo](https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/meta-ai/articles/hallucinations-2fa-prompts-hidden-access-172455494.html)).
- After a user was shown what looked like a stranger's financial document, Shinn said it was a hallucination and not a data breach, and announced a layer to detect hallucinations ([Shinn on X](https://x.com/noahrshinn/status/2102896837522804954), 23 September).

Muse:

- A security researcher found a flaw in the Mac app, and Meta patched it the same day ([9to5Mac](https://9to5mac.com/2026/09/22/security-bite-the-last-24-hours-at-meta-were-not-a-musing/), 22 September).
- The Information and Reuters reported a flaw that could expose a user's cloud computer, emails and files. Meta rated it SEV-2 and is adding a clearer safety warning ([Reuters via The Star](https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2026/09/26/meta-bolsters-muse-safety-warning-after-security-vulnerability-found-the-information-reports), 25 September).
- Inc. columnist Jason Aten said Muse for Mac synced his Apple Messages without permission. Meta disputed it, saying Messages access needs both Full Disk Access and Muse's Messages connector ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/meta-disputes-claim-that-muse-read-a-users-private-messages-without-permission/), 30 September). Apple then said it will add macOS controls so that this level of access needs very explicit user action ([Reuters via Capital.com](https://capital.com/en-gb/news/apple-says-it-will-flag-ai-requests-for-mac-data), 2 October).
- The rolled-back human-caller test and TIME's report on contact profiles, both above.

### Price

Both are free today. Instinct has no published pricing, its terms reserve the right to charge for some features later, and it hasn't announced a business model. Muse is free up to a weekly limit, with Power at $20 a month and Max at $100 a month for more usage. Muse's limits are published; Instinct's free access depends on getting in.

## Who each is best for

**Pick Instinct if** you have an invite and want an agent you text like a person, on iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, and can also call. It's strongest on travel, reservations and email follow-ups. It coordinates plans with the Instincts of friends, family and coworkers you trust, and it now joins group chats, where friends don't need an account. One user credited it with flagging a calendar conflict without being asked ([X](https://x.com/Olamitisoji/status/2099162194457874476)).

**Pick Muse if** you're in the US or Canada and want to start today, with an app on your phone, tablet or Mac. It has the wider retail reach (named shops, Shop Pay and saved cards), a browser you can watch and take over, computer use on the Mac, a generous free allowance, and Muse for Small Business if you run a shop on Shopify, Instagram and Meta ads.

## A third option for work: Arlo

Instinct and Muse are built around one person's life, and Muse for Small Business around one owner. If the work involves other people (a company inbox, a team's Slack, customers on the phone), Arlo is built for that. It's an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) you text on [iMessage](/imessage), SMS or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), use inside [Slack](/slack), or hand a [phone call](/phone) to. It places calls to people and businesses, and can work through phone menus and wait on hold. It connects to Gmail, your calendar, Slack, Notion, Linear, HubSpot and 3,000+ other tools. When you ask clearly, it does the work and tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend your money or can't be undone, and every tool call, source and approval is written to an audit trail you can read back. Arlo's [privacy policy](/privacy) says it doesn't use your messages, files, memories, calls or connected-account content to train AI models.

Arlo has no shopping checkout or flight booking of its own, so for errands and travel either Instinct or Muse does more. Anyone can start Arlo today, with no invite or waitlist: it's free to start, no card, then monthly plans from $20. See [Arlo vs Instinct](/compare/arlo-vs-instinct) and [Meta Muse alternatives](/compare/muse-alternatives).

## Instinct vs Muse vs Arlo at a glance

| | Instinct | Muse | Arlo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can you start today? | Invite only, waitlist | Yes, if you're 18+ in the US or Canada | Yes, no invite |
| Where you use it | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, phone calls; group chats in early access | Apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Mac; web; WhatsApp | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack, phone calls |
| Built for | Personal life; licensed for personal use only | Personal life and small business | Work: founders, operators, teams |
| Before it acts | Asks before purchases and when it needs input | Asks before some actions by default, including messages and purchases; can be set to always ask | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear; can be told to always ask before certain actions |
| Payments | Link one-time cards; Shop Pay | Link one-time cards, saved cards, Shop Pay; blocked by Amazon | No card checkout |
| Phone calls | You call it, it calls you; calls businesses in early access | Calls US businesses, in beta | Places calls to people and businesses; works phone menus and waits on hold |
| Record of what it did | Records its terms say "may not always be accurate" | Audit trail | Audit trail of every tool call, source and approval |
| Trains on your data | Yes, unless you opt out | Yes, unless you opt out | Its privacy policy says your content isn't used to train AI models |
| Price | Free; no published pricing | Free up to a weekly limit; Power $20/mo, Max $100/mo | Free to start, then plans from $20 a month |

Both agents change week to week. The Instinct and Muse columns reflect their public sites, terms and dated reporting as of October 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between Instinct and Meta Muse?** Both are personal AI agents that run errands on their own cloud computers. Instinct is one you text on iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, or call, and it's invite-only. Muse is Meta's agent, with apps for phone, tablet, Mac and the web plus WhatsApp, and it's open to adults in the US and Canada. Instinct leans toward travel and coordinating with other people's Instincts; Muse toward shopping, its own apps and small business.

**Is Instinct or Muse free?** Both are free as of October 2026. Instinct has no published pricing, and its terms allow fees later. Muse is free up to a weekly limit, with Power at $20 a month and Max at $100 a month for more usage.

**Which is safer, Instinct or Muse?** Neither has a clean record. Instinct has acted without asking (an email, a login code) and misdescribed its own actions, and its terms disclaim its safeguards. Muse has had a SEV-2 flaw, a same-day Mac patch, a disputed Messages report and a rolled-back human-caller test, and TIME reported that it profiles users' contacts. Both train on your data unless you opt out. Whichever you use, check what it asks about before acting, and connect only the accounts it needs.

**Do I need an invite for Instinct or Muse?** For Instinct, yes: each member gets five invites, and everyone else joins a waitlist. Muse needs no invite if you're 18 or over in the US or Canada.

**Which one can make phone calls?** Both call businesses in a limited rollout: Instinct's Concierge in early access, and Muse for US businesses in beta. Only Instinct has a number you can call, and it can call you.

**Which works on iMessage or WhatsApp?** Instinct works on iMessage, SMS and WhatsApp. Muse works in WhatsApp once you connect it, and isn't on iMessage or SMS.

**Can I use Instinct or Muse for work?** Instinct's terms license it for personal use only. Muse for Small Business connects to Slack, Shopify and QuickBooks, but plans attach to one Meta account, with no team seats or admin roles. Arlo is built for work and runs inside a team's Slack as well as iMessage, SMS and WhatsApp. More options are in [Instinct alternatives](/compare/instinct-alternatives).

---

# Best Lindy Alternatives for Teams in 2026

> The best Lindy alternatives are Zapier Agents and Poke, but one is a workflow builder and the other a consumer chat app. Arlo is the strongest pick for teams: an AI colleague in iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and calls, with governance and a full audit trace on every action.

Updated: 2026-06-19 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/lindy-alternatives

Most people land here after trying to build something in Lindy and realizing they're now maintaining workflows for a living. The two names you'll hear most as alternatives are Zapier Agents and Poke, and they pull in opposite directions: one is even more of a builder, the other is a consumer text app for one person. If what you actually want is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that lives in the tools your team already uses and answers to a policy, [Arlo](/) is the one worth looking at. Here's the honest rundown first.

## What Lindy is, in brief

As of June 2026, Lindy is a no-code AI agent builder for non-technical teams. You assemble multi-step agents from blocks on a drag-and-drop canvas, with multi-agent collaboration, a big template library, thousands of integrations, and a "Computer Use" feature for sites without an API. It's a solid platform if you genuinely want to design and own automation flows.

The catch is right there in the design. Lindy makes you think in triggers and blocks. If you'd rather just message an assistant and have it work out the steps, you'll feel the friction fast.

## The main Lindy alternatives

The three that come up most, kept neutral:

- **Zapier Agents** — As of June 2026, Zapier layered AI Agents on top of its automation platform, with 7,000+ integrations, Copilot for turning plain English into Zaps, guardrails, memory, and human-in-the-loop approvals. Great if your team already lives in Zaps. But it's builder-first, same as Lindy.
- **Poke** (by The Interaction Company) — As of June 2026, Poke is a consumer assistant you reach over iMessage, SMS, and Telegram for personal tasks like planning and managing your calendar. It's text-native, but it's built for individuals, not governed team workspaces.
- **Martin** — As of June 2026, Martin pitches itself as a personal "AI chief of staff" that runs your email, calendar, and tasks over text and voice, with connections like Gmail and Slack. Also individual-focused, with a consumer subscription.

Want a closer head-to-head? See [Arlo vs Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy). If the consumer-assistant route is what you're weighing, [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) and [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) go deeper.

## How the options compare

| | Lindy | Zapier Agents | Poke | Arlo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary model | Visual workflow builder | Visual workflow builder | Text chat assistant | Conversational AI colleague |
| Built for | Non-technical builders | Automation power users | Individuals | Teams |
| Surfaces | Web app | Web app | iMessage, SMS, Telegram | iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, phone calls |
| Tools without an API | Computer Use | Limited | Limited | Secure browser session (logs in, clicks, fills forms) |
| Governance / approvals | Available | Human-in-the-loop | Not team-oriented | Policy before every run; asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Audit trace | Varies | Audit logging | Not team-oriented | Full trace of every call, source, approval |

Facts about Lindy, Zapier, Poke, and Martin are as of June 2026 and may change. Check each vendor for current details.

## Why teams choose Arlo

Arlo isn't a canvas. You don't wire up flows; you just talk to it. It's a single AI colleague that works where your team already works: iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. Nothing new to download, no separate app to teach everyone.

What makes it different for a team:

- **You ask, it figures out the steps.** Plain language in, no blocks or triggers to babysit.
- **It remembers.** Persistent memory plus a morning briefing of what changed, so context carries across days and across surfaces.
- **It can reach almost anything.** Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ tools. For anything without an API, it logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms the way a person would.

Then there's governance, which is on by default rather than something you remember to turn on. Every connection runs through policy before a run starts. Clear requests run, and it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. And every call, source, and approval lands in an audit trace you can actually read back. That's the part a build-it-yourself platform or a consumer text app simply doesn't give a team.

## Which alternative fits you

- Pick a **builder** (Lindy, Zapier) if you want to design and own the automation yourself.
- Pick a **consumer assistant** (Poke, Martin) if you want personal help over text for one person.
- Pick **Arlo** if a whole team needs a governed AI colleague across messaging and calls. See how it fits [founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors), and [sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales), or browse the [resources](/resources).

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Lindy alternatives?** The two names you'll hear most are Zapier Agents and Poke, and they pull in opposite directions — one is even more of a builder, the other is a consumer text app for one person. Arlo is the third option: an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) you message across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and calls, with policy and a full audit trace.

**What is the best Lindy alternative for a team that doesn't want to build workflows?** Arlo. Most people arrive here after realizing they're now maintaining workflows for a living. Arlo has no builder to open — you message it like a teammate and it reasons out the steps per request, under rules you set.

**Is there a Lindy alternative that's cheaper?** It depends on how much you use. As of September 2026 Lindy's published per-user plans run roughly $29.99–$199.99/month with a 7-day trial. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage.

**Can a Lindy alternative use software with no API?** Yes. Arlo logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms the way a person would, so internal systems that never shipped an API are still in reach. Lindy addresses the same problem with computer-use / Autopilot.

**Should I pick a workflow builder or a conversational assistant?** Pick a builder when the work is a stable, high-volume pipeline that runs identically every time — that's cheaper and more predictable. Pick a conversational colleague for judgment calls, ad-hoc requests, and cross-tool work no flowchart captured. See [AI assistant vs workflow automation](/compare/ai-assistant-vs-workflow-automation) for the full breakdown.

**Which Lindy alternative has the strongest governance?** Arlo does what you clearly ask, asks first on money or anything unclear, lets you tell it to always ask before certain actions, and records every call, source, and approval in a [full audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). Lindy offers role-based team accounts, with audit capability varying by plan.

## Try Arlo

If you want an AI colleague your team can just message, across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and calls, with policy and a full audit trace on every action, [get started with Arlo](/signup).

---

# Martin alternatives — AI assistants for teams and personal life

> The main Martin alternatives are Poke, Catch, Lindy, and Arlo. Martin, Poke, and Catch are personal AI assistants over text and voice; Lindy automates work across business apps. Arlo is an AI colleague across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls that asks first on money or anything unclear and keeps a full audit trail.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/martin-alternatives

If you're looking at Martin alternatives, start with what Martin is for. Martin is a voice-first personal assistant — you talk to it to manage your calendar, email, and reminders. Poke and Catch play a similar personal-assistant role over text. Lindy is a work-automation tool. Arlo is an AI colleague for a team — it works across every channel your team uses, makes phone calls itself, and asks first on money or anything unclear. Those are different products, so the right pick comes down to whether you're outfitting yourself or a team.

Everything below is real to the best of our knowledge as of July 2026. Because we can't verify each competitor's live feature set, treat the specifics as "as of July 2026." After the rundown, I'll make the case for [Arlo](/) if you want one governed assistant spanning iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and live calls.

## The main Martin alternatives at a glance

| Assistant | Where it works | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Martin | Voice, text, email | Voice-first scheduling and reminders |
| Poke | iMessage, SMS, Telegram (WhatsApp in some markets) | Personal tasks over text |
| Catch | Text and chat (personal assistant) | Personal tasks and daily help |
| Lindy | Email, Slack, calendars, business tools | Workflow automation at work |
| Arlo | iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, live phone calls | An AI colleague across a team's tools, with governance |

## Martin

Martin is the voice-first assistant. As of July 2026 it connects to your calendar, email, and messaging, and you can talk to it, text it, or email it. The pitch centers on scheduling, reminders, drafting quick messages, and daily updates — a personal assistant you speak to like you would a real one. Want the direct head-to-head? See [Arlo vs Martin](/compare/arlo-vs-martin).

## Poke

Poke comes from The Interaction Company and the pitch is that using it feels like texting a friend. As of July 2026 it runs over iMessage, SMS, and Telegram, with WhatsApp in some markets. The sweet spot is everyday personal stuff — planning your day and juggling your calendar. For the direct comparison, see [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke).

## Catch

Catch is a personal AI assistant you message to manage your day and get quick help. As of July 2026 the pitch is a friendly, conversational helper for one person's tasks and reminders. If you want a personal assistant for your own to-dos over chat rather than voice, Catch is aimed at you. See [Arlo vs Catch](/compare/arlo-vs-catch) for the head-to-head.

## Lindy

Lindy is built to get work done, not chat. As of July 2026 it's a workflow automator that plugs into email, Slack, your calendar, and a long list of business apps — triaging inboxes, sitting in on meetings, and chaining multi-step workflows on its own. If your problem is repetitive business processes rather than a chatty assistant, Lindy is the obvious pick here.

## Why Arlo is the best Martin alternative for teams

Martin, Poke, and Catch are personal assistants — one person, their calendar, their reminders. That's a good fit for an individual. But bring an assistant into a team and the questions change: Can everyone reach it where they already work? Can you trust it to take action? Can you prove what it did afterward? Arlo is built for exactly those questions.

- **It works everywhere, including the phone.** Arlo is in iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. Like Martin it handles a call, but it also lives in the team's channels — and context doesn't drop when a thread becomes a call.
- **It remembers, and it briefs you.** Arlo holds onto what matters across conversations and sends a morning briefing on what changed overnight, so nobody re-explains themselves.
- **It acts, and connects to real tools.** Arlo works across 3,000+ tools. When an app has no API, it signs in once through a secure browser session and operates it by hand — clicking, reading, and filling forms the way a person would.
- **Governance is the default, not an add-on.** Clear requests run, it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and every action lands in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). That's the line between an AI colleague you can put on real work and a personal assistant you just talk to. See how it [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending).
- **It scales past one person.** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. Admin policy and audit export are available on request for orgs that need them.

## How to choose

Pick **Martin, Poke, or Catch** if you want a personal assistant for your own calendar, texts, and reminders. Pick **Lindy** if the goal is automating business workflows across apps. Pick **Arlo** if you want one [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and calls, with memory and governed actions your whole team can audit. If phone calls are the draw, see how Arlo works as an assistant that [makes phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) or fits [in Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack).

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Martin alternatives?** Poke, Catch, Lindy, and Arlo. Martin, Poke, and Catch are personal AI assistants over text and voice; Lindy automates work across business apps. Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls that asks first on money or anything unclear and keeps a full audit trail.

**What is the best Martin alternative for a team?** Arlo. Martin is personal and voice-first for one user's day; Arlo is built for shared work, with 3,000+ integrations, a question first on money or anything unclear, and a record of what happened. See the head-to-head at [Arlo vs Martin](/compare/arlo-vs-martin).

**Which Martin alternative is best for voice?** Martin itself is the most voice-native of the group — it's built around talking. Arlo [places live phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls), and Catch places outbound calls, but for both, voice is one channel rather than the organizing idea.

**Is there a free Martin alternative?** On this list, Poke is light-free with heavier use paid, and Lindy offers a 7-day trial on per-seat paid plans. Arlo is free to start too, with $10 of usage a month and no card required. After that, plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage.

**Which Martin alternative connects to the most tools?** Arlo, at 3,000+ — and for software with no API it logs in once through a secure browser session and operates it by hand. As of June 2026 Martin connects calendar, Gmail, Slack, and WhatsApp; Catch lists 25+ integrations.

**Why would I stay with Martin?** If you want a proactive personal assistant for your own day and you'd rather speak than type, Martin was designed for exactly that, and the governance layer in a team product would just be overhead.

## Try Arlo

Arlo is the Martin alternative for teams that want one assistant everywhere they work — including the phone — that asks first when it matters and keeps a full audit trail. [Try Arlo](/signup) to put a colleague inside the tools you already use.

---

# Meta Muse alternatives for calls, messages and everyday tasks

> Try Arlo for personal calls, bookings and research from Messages or WhatsApp, with Slack available for work. Pally offers messaging and optional Mac access, Poke offers Recipes and human-assisted errands, and Hark Pro centers tasks in its app. OpenClaw is a self-hosted option. Choose around the job you want handled.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/muse-alternatives

Looking for a Muse alternative you can text in Messages, or an assistant that can take a business call off your list? Start with the task and the conversation you want to use. Arlo handles personal calls, bookings and research from Messages or WhatsApp, with Slack for work.

We make Arlo. This guide compares the providers’ published features and plans, checked 3 November 2026.

## The alternatives at a glance

| What you want | Consider | Why it fits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Calls and everyday tasks from Messages or WhatsApp | Arlo | Phone menus, hold time, connected apps and websites; also works inside Slack |
| Messaging with connected chats or a hosted Mac | Pally | Direct messaging, calls and optional Cloud Mac access |
| Reusable app workflows or a person to handle an errand | Poke | Recipes and Poke Human under Ultra |
| A dedicated app for projects and browser tasks | Hark Pro | Projects and the Handoff browser agent |
| An assistant you host and maintain | OpenClaw | Control over the host, workspace and connections you configure |

## Arlo: hand over the call from your text thread

Send Arlo the business you need called and what you want to find out. It can navigate the phone menu, wait on hold and speak to the business, then keep the outcome and transcript with your conversation.

You can use [Messages](/imessage) or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp) for personal errands and Slack for work. Connect email, a calendar or a website when your task needs it. Your private conversations stay private by default; sharing information with a team is a separate, authorized action.

Example request: “Call the restaurant and ask whether six people can sit together on Friday after seven. Check the vegetarian options and bring me the choices before booking.” Arlo checks unclear requests, spending and actions that cannot be undone.

For a completed research example, read the [Rome dinner-shortlist case](/blog/arlo-restaurant-research-case-study), with the saved output and recorded usage. [Start free with Arlo](/start) and give it one errand you want handled. No card is needed to start; [pricing](/pricing) lists the current allowance and call rates.

## Pally: messaging and optional Mac access

[Pally’s pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) lists iMessage, RCS, WhatsApp and Telegram messaging, calls and connected apps. Its free use has limits that refill through the week. Cloud Mac is an optional $95-a-month hosted Mac signed into your Apple Account; invitation-only VIP offers higher limits.

Texting the assistant and giving it access to your existing chats are separate choices. General texting does not require Cloud Mac. See [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally) for personal tasks and work.

## Poke: Recipes and a human errand option

[Poke](https://poke.com/) offers connected apps and reusable Recipes through messaging. Its [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) describes Poke Human, a person handling calls, reservations and other errands under Ultra at $199 a month. Real-world expenses remain separate. Poke also lists free use and a $19 Pro plan.

That gives you a choice between an AI call and a person handling the errand. See [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) for the different routes.

## Hark Pro: a dedicated task app

[Hark](https://hark.com/) organizes work in its own app with Projects and Handoff, a browser agent on its own computer. Its [pricing](https://hark.com/pricing) lists free use with all features and $20 and $100 monthly web tiers for more usage.

Consider it if you prefer an app-based home for browser tasks. The [Hark vs Muse comparison](/compare/hark-vs-muse) covers the app and WhatsApp distinction.

## OpenClaw: run the assistant yourself

OpenClaw is a self-hosted option for people who want to configure and maintain their own assistant. Its [official documentation](https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/faq/where-things-live-on-disk) distinguishes local state and workspace from traffic sent to external models and messaging services. Hosting the assistant does not keep every request on your device.

You handle setup, hosting and model costs. Arlo is the managed option here when you want to start with a message instead of running infrastructure.

## What to check before leaving Muse

Meta’s [announcement](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/) describes Muse’s own app, WhatsApp access and cloud computer. Its [subscription help](https://www.meta.com/help/subscriptions/1021145227643680/) lists free usage, Power at $20 a month and Max at $100 a month, with account and location eligibility. Muse remains in limited testing.

Compare the task, channel, required accounts and allowance. A restaurant deposit or purchase is separate from assistant usage. For a first Arlo task, send the outcome you want, your budget and the point where you want to decide.

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Meta Muse alternatives?** Try Arlo for personal calls and everyday tasks by text, Pally for messaging and optional Mac access, Poke for Recipes or human-assisted errands, Hark for a dedicated task app, or OpenClaw for self-hosting.

**Is there a Muse alternative I can text in iMessage?** Yes. Arlo works in iMessage and SMS, so you can send a call, booking request or reminder from Messages. Pally and Poke also offer messaging channels.

**Can I use Arlo for personal tasks and work?** Yes. Use Messages or WhatsApp for personal errands and Slack for work. Private user conversations stay private by default; team sharing is a separate authorized action.

**Is Meta Muse free?** Meta lists free usage with a limit, plus Power at $20 a month and Max at $100 a month. Account and location eligibility apply; check your current subscription options.

**Does self-hosting keep every request on my device?** No. OpenClaw can store state and workspace on your host, while data sent to external models and messaging services follows those providers’ policies.

---

# Pally alternatives: calls, messaging and account access

> Consider Arlo for personal AI calls and everyday tasks from Messages or WhatsApp, Poke for Recipes and human-assisted errands, or Hark Pro for a proactive app and browser agent. Pally also supports direct WhatsApp messaging. Choose an alternative around the task your current setup leaves unresolved.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/pally-alternatives

Want personal calls in Messages and work requests inside Slack? Arlo handles both, with connected tools and websites for the steps around the call. Compare Poke and Hark too if Recipes, human assistance or a dedicated task app fit your job.

We make Arlo. Official descriptions were checked 2 November 2026. This comparison covers published features and plans.

## What changed in Pally

Pally's [current pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) lists direct WhatsApp messaging alongside iMessage, RCS and Telegram. Connecting your own WhatsApp account for help with existing chats is a separate capability.

Pally also has a paid Cloud Mac add-on. That is different from simply texting the assistant. Check whether your task needs access to your own message history or a computer running around the clock before comparing prices.

Its [November 1–2 changelog](https://pally.com/whats-new/2026-11) describes improvements to delayed automations, message delivery and explanations of missing chat access. These are vendor-reported changes. They do not establish a measured success rate against another product.

## The alternatives by workflow

| If you want… | Consider | Why it fits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal AI calls and errands from your messages | Arlo | Outbound calls, connected tools and browser tasks; Slack is available too |
| Reusable app workflows and a human-assisted errand route | Poke | Recipes, plus Poke Human under Ultra |
| A proactive app and browser workspace | Hark Pro | Handoff and an app-based home for tasks |
| Your existing Pally setup to work better | Pally itself | Check current support and recent fixes before moving everything |

For a direct comparison, see [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally).

## Arlo: personal errands and work in the same assistant

Use Arlo when you want to hand off a [business call](/phone), check a [restaurant booking](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-restaurant-bookings) or coordinate [plans with friends](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-group-plans). It works through Messages, WhatsApp and Slack. Both personal tasks and work belong here.

Arlo can navigate phone menus and wait on hold. It checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. You can inspect the [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). Your private conversations stay private by default; sharing with a team is a separate, authorized action.

Compare the task, required connections, allowance and how the result is reported.

## Poke and Hark Pro

Poke's [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) describes Poke Human as real people handling errands under Ultra. If you are comparing calls, distinguish that service from an AI call. Its Recipes may also be a reason to choose it. See [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) for current plans and the delivery-model difference.

Hark's [product page](https://hark.com/) describes an app and Handoff browser agent. That suits someone who prefers to keep errands in a proactive app. The [Hark alternatives guide](/compare/hark-alternatives) covers pricing and where a texting assistant may fit better.

## Compare cost without assuming unlimited usage

Pally advertises free use with a limit that refills through the week. Its optional Cloud Mac costs $95 a month. The pricing page also lists Pally VIP, an invitation-only plan with higher limits at $1,000 a month or $10,000 a year. Confirm whether your workflow needs any paid option.

Arlo starts free within an allowance. Use [Arlo pricing](/pricing) for current plans and call rates. Assistant usage is separate from a restaurant deposit, purchase or other merchant charge. We have not measured equivalent workloads across these products.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Ask it to call a business, research a booking or coordinate a plan. Send the business name and your question; Arlo can handle the phone menu, queue and conversation.

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Pally alternatives?** Arlo is an option for personal calls and everyday tasks by text. Poke offers Recipes and a human-assisted errand service; Hark Pro centers on a proactive app and browser agent. Choose by the job your current setup leaves unresolved.

**Does Pally support direct WhatsApp messaging?** Yes. Its current pricing page lists direct WhatsApp messaging. That is separate from connecting your own WhatsApp account for help with existing conversations. Check your account's current setup and permissions.

**Do I need a Cloud Mac just to text an assistant?** Texting an assistant and giving it access to your own message history are different jobs. Pally's Cloud Mac is a separate paid add-on for an always-on Mac signed into your Apple Account. Compare whether you need that access before paying for it.

**Is Pally free, or does it require a subscription?** Pally lists free use with usage limits. Cloud Mac is an optional $95-a-month add-on, and VIP is an invitation-only plan for higher limits. You do not need either just to start texting Pally.

**Which alternative should I try for calls?** Arlo publishes outbound AI calling, and Pally publishes calling too. Poke Human uses a person for calls and other errands. Check destination coverage, access and the actual result of your task.

---

# Poke alternatives: texting, AI calls and human help compared

> Arlo and Pally are Poke alternatives for personal calls, bookings and everyday tasks by text. Arlo makes AI calls; Poke Human uses a person for errands under Ultra. For an app with a browser agent, consider Hark Pro. Compare the service your task needs and its total cost.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/poke-alternatives

Want an AI to handle a business call from your messages? Arlo can navigate the phone menu, wait on hold and ask your question. Pally is another AI-calling option; Poke Human offers a person for errands under Ultra. Compare the route you want below.

We make Arlo. Poke's homepage, FAQ and pricing, and the linked alternatives' official descriptions, were checked 2 November 2026. This comparison covers published features and plans.

## First, distinguish Poke from Poke Human

Poke's [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) describes **Poke Human** as a person carrying out real-world tasks, including reservations and calls. It is included with Ultra. For calls and reservations, include that service in your comparison.

Arlo places AI calls itself. Pally also describes AI calling in its [business-calling guide](https://pally.com/guides/ai-that-calls-businesses-for-you). Human assistance and an AI call may both solve an errand, but they are different services. Ask which route your request uses and what the plan covers.

## The shortlist

| Option | Why consider it? | Tradeoff to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arlo | Personal AI calls, bookings, websites and group plans from your messages | Account allowance, destination support and any merchant charge |
| Pally | A texting assistant that publishes calls, bookings and follow-ups | Current usage limits and any separate add-on you need |
| Hark Pro | A proactive app with a browser agent for web tasks | An app-based workflow; calling is not described in the pages reviewed |
| Poke itself | Connected-app Recipes plus the Poke Human route | The plan required for your task and whether an AI or a person handles it |

Choose around the next errand you want handled: an AI call, a reusable workflow or a task for a human operator.

## What Poke costs now

Poke's [pricing page](https://poke.com/pricing) and FAQ list Free, Pro at $19 a month and Ultra at $199 a month. Ultra also allows pay-as-you-go usage. Check the current checkout for billing details.

Poke Human's real-world expenses are separate from the subscription. Its FAQ describes those expenses as charged at cost from your balance. A restaurant deposit or a ride is not free because human help is included in a plan.

Arlo starts free, within an allowance, and publishes its plans and call rates on [Arlo pricing](/pricing). We have not measured equivalent task costs across these products. Compare the complete errand, including usage and purchases, rather than just the monthly sticker price.

## When Arlo is worth trying

Try Arlo when the next step is a phone call you want to hand off from [Messages](/imessage) or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp). It can navigate menus and wait on hold, as well as work with connected tools and websites. It serves personal errands and work in Slack.

An illustrative brief: “Call the repair shop and ask whether my laptop will be ready before Friday. Check pickup hours. Do not approve extra work or charges.” Give the assistant the details it needs, then check the result. This example is not a customer transcript or a completed call.

Arlo checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone. Its [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) records what happened. See [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) for the broader comparison.

## Reasons to stay with Poke

Poke's [homepage](https://poke.com/) emphasizes reusable Recipes and messaging-based access to connected services. Its FAQ lists Gmail and Outlook support and website publishing. If those are already part of your routine, evaluate the missing task before moving everything.

The best trial is one comparable errand, with the same information, budget and stopping point. Check whether the assistant respects the boundary and reports a blocker clearly. Do not substitute a product's promise for evidence that your task finished.

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send the business, what you need to find out and a spending boundary. Poke Human remains an option when you prefer a person handling the errand.

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the best Poke alternatives?** Arlo and Pally are options for personal assistance by text, including published calling capabilities. Hark Pro offers a proactive app and browser agent. Choose by the task and access you need rather than a universal ranking.

**Can Poke make phone calls?** Its FAQ describes Poke Human, where a person can make calls and handle other errands under Ultra. That differs from an AI making the call. Ask which route applies to your task before comparing providers.

**What is Poke Human?** It is Poke's human-assisted service for real-world errands, including reservations, calls and orders. The FAQ says it is included with Ultra, while real-world expenses are charged separately from your balance.

**How much does Poke cost?** As checked in November 2026, its published plans are Free, Pro at $19 a month and Ultra at $199 a month. Ultra can have pay-as-you-go usage. Confirm billing and task-specific costs at checkout.

**Is Arlo a Poke alternative for personal use?** Yes. Arlo supports personal calls, bookings, websites and group plans. Work and Slack are additional uses, not requirements.

**Which alternative should I try for a business call?** Arlo and Pally both publish calling capabilities. Check destination support and provide a clear brief. A call attempt is not proof that a booking or account change succeeded.

---

# Poke vs Pally: messaging, calls and optional costs

> Poke and Pally are assistants you can message for personal tasks. Poke offers Poke Human, a person handling errands under Ultra. Pally describes business calling and free use with replenishing limits, plus a separate optional Cloud Mac. Compare the service your task needs rather than the free label alone.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/poke-vs-pally

Poke and Pally both let you delegate from messaging apps. The main choice is the service around the message: Poke offers Recipes and a human errand route, while Pally describes AI business calls and optional connected-chat features.

We make Arlo. Official descriptions linked here were checked 3 November 2026. This comparison covers published features and plans.

## Compare the service you need

| Decision | Poke | Pally |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Messaging | Messages, WhatsApp and Telegram | iMessage, RCS, WhatsApp and Telegram |
| Calls and errands | Poke Human provides a person under Ultra | Its calling guide describes business calls |
| Usage | Free, Pro and Ultra tiers | Free use with limits that refill through the week |
| Optional costs | Ultra usage and real-world expenses | Cloud Mac add-on and invitation-only VIP |

## Messaging is separate from history access

[Poke's homepage](https://poke.com/) lists its messaging channels and connected apps. Confirm the preferred channel in your account. Its [FAQ](https://poke.com/faq) describes Gmail and Outlook support and integrations including Notion, GitHub and Linear.

[Pally's pricing page](https://pally.com/pricing) lists direct WhatsApp messaging separately from connecting your own WhatsApp chats. It also describes an optional Cloud Mac, a hosted Mac signed into your Apple Account. General texting does not require that add-on.

Decide whether you want to send a request or work with existing history. If one forwarded message provides enough context, you may not need a history connection. Review the requested access separately from the messaging channel.

## Who handles a business call?

[Pally's calling guide](https://pally.com/guides/ai-that-calls-businesses-for-you) describes an AI calling businesses and returning the outcome. Poke's documented Human service uses a real person. That difference can affect what you want to delegate, but it does not establish a higher success rate for either route.

An illustrative brief for comparison: "Ask the repair shop whether my item is ready and when I can collect it. Do not approve further work or charges." This is a suggested task, not a report from a customer or our own test.

An unanswered call, a voicemail and a confirmed pickup time are different outcomes. Resolve identity checks or payment decisions before treating the errand as complete.

## Free plans and separate services

[Poke pricing](https://poke.com/pricing) lists Free, Pro at $19 monthly and Ultra at $199 monthly. Ultra supports additional, metered pay-as-you-go usage beyond its included credits. Poke's FAQ places Poke Human under Ultra and says expenses paid on your behalf remain separate.

Pally publishes free use with replenishing limits, an optional $95 monthly Cloud Mac and invitation-only VIP at $1,000 monthly or $10,000 annually. Those options serve different needs; do not add Cloud Mac to every texting comparison or treat the free allowance as unlimited.

Include required services and merchant charges when comparing costs. Read [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) and [Pally alternatives](/compare/pally-alternatives) for more options. [Arlo vs Pally](/compare/arlo-vs-pally) and [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) cover calls and bookings from a text; current Arlo allowances are on [pricing](/pricing).

Arlo also handles AI calls from Messages or WhatsApp, with Slack available for work. [Start free with one task](/start), or read the direct [Pally comparison](/compare/arlo-vs-pally).

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the main difference between Poke and Pally?** Both use messaging. Compare the calling service, access to existing chats and plan allowances. Poke Human uses a person; Pally publishes an AI business-calling workflow.

**Does Pally require Cloud Mac?** Its pricing page treats Cloud Mac as an optional add-on. You do not need it for general texting with Pally.

**Can both work on WhatsApp?** Both list direct WhatsApp messaging. Check your account's channel support. Pally separately offers connecting existing WhatsApp chats.

**Which costs less?** That depends on required services and usage. Free plans, human assistance, Cloud Mac and merchant expenses are different costs. We have not measured equal workloads.

---

# Viktor alternatives — AI coworkers for teams in 2026

> The strongest Viktor alternatives in 2026 are Arlo (an AI colleague across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and calls that asks first when it matters), Lindy (build-your-own agents and workflows), Catch (a personal assistant across channels), Poke (a personal assistant in your texting apps), and ChatGPT. The right pick depends on team vs personal jobs — and the channels your work actually uses.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/compare/viktor-alternatives

Viktor made the "[AI employee](/glossary/ai-employee)" category loud. It lives in Slack and Microsoft Teams, connects to thousands of tools, writes and runs code, and — after a reported $75M raise in May 2026 — it's the name most teams hear first. It's a good product. But it isn't the right shape for every team, and the reasons people go looking for an alternative are consistent: work that happens outside Slack (texts, phone calls), a want for a full audit trail of what the AI did, a personal rather than team-shaped job, or simple price-and-fit shopping.

Here are the alternatives that actually deserve the shortlist, and the honest case for each.

## The short list

| Tool | Best for | Channels | Governance |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Arlo** | Teams whose work spans chat, texts, and calls | iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, phone calls | Asks first on money or anything unclear; audit trail always on |
| **Viktor** | Heavy in-Slack delegation, code execution | Slack, Teams | Configurable per-tool approvals |
| **Lindy** | Building custom agents and workflows | Web app, email, calendar triggers | Per-workflow configuration |
| **Catch** | One person who wants a proactive assistant | Slack, email, text, phone | Personal-scale |
| **Poke** | Personal life admin in your texting apps | iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram | Personal-scale |
| **ChatGPT** | Open-ended thinking, drafts, research | Its own app | Session-scale |

## Arlo — the AI colleague that also texts and calls

Arlo is the closest like-for-like replacement: an [AI coworker](/glossary/ai-coworker) your team talks to in the channels it already uses. The difference in reach is that Arlo treats **iMessage/SMS, WhatsApp, and live phone calls** as first-class surfaces alongside Slack — it can text you like a person, place real calls, and keep the transcript. It connects to 3,000+ tools, works no-API software through a secure browser session, keeps persistent memory with one morning briefing, and — the load-bearing difference — ships governance on by default: policy checks before every run, a question first on money or anything unclear, and a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) after. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage, and every plan includes calls and bookings. See the full [Arlo vs Viktor breakdown](/compare/arlo-vs-viktor).

## Lindy — build your own agents

Lindy approaches the problem from the automation side: you design agents ("Lindies") with triggers, steps, and tool actions, closer to a modern workflow builder than a coworker you address in chat. If your team likes designing systems and wants deterministic, repeatable flows, it's a strong fit. If you want to delegate messy, one-off work in plain language, the builder mindset can feel like overhead. Full comparison: [Arlo vs Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy).

## Catch — a personal assistant, done properly

Catch is a proactive personal assistant you reach over Slack, email, text, or phone. It's aimed at one person's workload rather than a team's shared queue — closer to hiring yourself an assistant than adding a teammate to Slack. If what you actually miss about Viktor is "someone handling *my* stuff," Catch belongs on the list. See [Arlo vs Catch](/compare/arlo-vs-catch).

## Poke — personal, and honest about it

Poke lives in iMessage, WhatsApp, and Telegram and runs your personal digital life — reminders, scheduling, email triage — with a recipe library for one-tap automations. It is deliberately not a team product, and it's good precisely because of that focus. If the job is personal, Poke is a strong consumer pick; if the job is team work, it isn't trying to be that. See [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) for that side of the map.

## ChatGPT — the default, for a different job

Some teams evaluating Viktor discover what they wanted was better thinking, not delegated doing. ChatGPT remains the best general-purpose reasoning tool, with connectors and agentic features growing every quarter — but it's a destination you visit, not a coworker in your channels. The full picture: [Arlo vs ChatGPT](/compare/arlo-vs-chatgpt).

## How to choose

Three questions cut the list fast. **Where does the work happen?** If it's Slack-only, Viktor and Arlo both fit; if it includes texts and calls, Arlo; if it's your own life, Poke or Catch. **Who is the AI working for?** A team queue points to Arlo or Viktor; one person points to Catch or Poke; a workflow diagram points to Lindy. **What has to be true before it touches customers?** If the answer involves a check-in where it matters and an audit trail from day one, that's Arlo's home turf.

Product details above reflect each company's public materials as of July 2026 — verify current state on their own sites before you commit.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the best Viktor alternative for teams?** Arlo is the closest team-shaped alternative: an AI coworker in Slack that also works over iMessage/SMS, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. It asks first on money or anything unclear, and the audit trail is always on.

**Is there a Viktor alternative that makes phone calls?** Arlo places live phone calls — confirming appointments, chasing vendors, asking questions — and keeps the transcript, so you can ask how it went. Phone calls aren't part of Viktor's stated product as of July 2026.

**What's the cheapest way to decide between these tools?** Run the same three real tasks from your backlog through each tool and compare finished work. Most tools on this list offer some form of trial; Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then runs on plans from $20 a month.

**Do any of these work without APIs?** Arlo can operate software that has no API by logging in once through a secure browser session and using the interface the way a person would.

**Can I use more than one?** Plenty of teams do — a team-level colleague like Arlo for shared work, plus a personal assistant like Poke for individual life admin. The mistake is expecting one shape to do the other's job.

---

# What Is an AI Agent? Definition, Types, and How They Work

> An AI agent is software that perceives its environment, decides what to do, and takes multi-step actions to reach a goal, often semi-autonomously. Unlike a chatbot that only replies, an agent uses tools, remembers context, and does the work, ideally with human approval on risky steps.

Updated: 2026-06-19 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-agent

An AI agent is software that perceives its environment, decides what to do, and takes real actions to reach a goal, usually across several steps and with some autonomy. The difference from a chatbot comes down to one word: action. A chatbot answers your question. An agent goes and does the thing.

## What an AI agent actually does

An agent runs a loop. It looks at where things stand, reasons about the goal, picks an action, takes it, checks the result, and goes again until it's done or stuck. That loop is the whole trick. It's what lets an agent book a meeting, update a CRM record, or dig an answer out of four different systems instead of just telling you how you might do that yourself.

Three things separate a real agent from a fancy autocomplete:

- **Tool use.** It calls APIs, searches the web, sends messages. The good ones can even log into a website with no API and click through it like a person.
- **Planning.** It breaks a goal into steps and reroutes when a step fails, rather than giving up at the first error.
- **Memory.** It carries context across turns and sessions, so you're not re-explaining yourself every morning.

## Chatbot vs AI assistant vs AI agent

People use these words interchangeably, but they're really points on a line from "talks" to "does."

| Capability | Chatbot | AI assistant | AI agent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responds to questions | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remembers past context | Rarely | Sometimes | Yes |
| Uses external tools | No | Limited | Yes |
| Takes multi-step actions | No | Some | Yes |
| Works toward a goal autonomously | No | No | Yes |
| Acts inside your real tools | No | Sometimes | Yes |

An [AI assistant](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant) lands in the middle. It's helpful and remembers what you told it, but it mostly waits for the next instruction. An agent is built to take a goal and run with it.

## Levels of autonomy

Autonomy isn't on/off. Think of it as a dial:

- **Suggest** — the agent proposes; you do it.
- **Draft** — the agent writes the email or fills the form, then waits for your yes.
- **Act with review** — the agent executes, but anything risky pauses for a human.
- **Act autonomously** — the agent finishes routine work end to end inside set limits.

Most agents worth trusting in production sit in the draft and act-with-review bands. That's where you get speed without handing over the keys. Save full autonomy for the boring, low-stakes, hard-to-screw-up tasks.

## What makes an AI agent reliable

Raw capability is the easy part now. The hard part is capability you can actually trust. Reliable agents tend to share four traits:

- **Persistent memory**, so context and preferences survive between sessions.
- **Guardrails and policy** that decide what the agent is even allowed to touch before it acts.
- **Human approval** on sends, writes, and anything you can't take back.
- **An audit trail** of every tool call, source, and approval, so you can see exactly what it did.

Strip these out and an agent that "takes actions" is mostly a liability waiting to happen. Build them in and you've got something you can hand real work to.

## Risks to manage

Agents fail in specific, predictable ways. They act on a wrong assumption, call the wrong tool, leak data between systems, or burn money looping on a task they can't finish. The fixes are the reliability traits above, plus tight scope. Give the agent a narrow job, make it ask before consequential steps, and keep a trace you can read after the fact. Autonomous enough to help, boxed in enough to stay safe.

## How this relates to an AI colleague

An [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) is just an AI agent framed as a teammate. Same underlying tech, but it lives where your team already works, holds onto context, and runs under shared rules instead of sitting off in its own app. Next to a generic [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant), the colleague framing leans harder on durable memory and accountability than on knocking out one-off tasks.

## Arlo as a governed AI agent

Arlo is an AI agent you talk to like a coworker, in iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and on live phone calls. It connects to Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ tools, and for anything without an API, it logs in once through a secure browser session and works the site like a person. It keeps persistent memory and sends you a morning briefing. Governance comes standard: every connection clears policy before a run, a clear request runs and Arlo tells you what it did, it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full audit trace. Founders, [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors), and [sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) use it to hand off actual work, not just questions. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI agent?** An AI agent is an AI system that pursues a goal over multiple steps — deciding what to do next, calling tools, reacting to what comes back — instead of returning a single response. The defining trait is that it acts, not just answers.

**What is the difference between an AI agent and a chatbot?** A chatbot maps input to a reply. An agent plans, uses tools, and changes state in the world: it sends the email, opens the ticket, updates the record. That capability is exactly why review matters.

**What is the difference between an AI agent and automation?** Traditional automation follows a fixed path you defined in advance and breaks when reality differs. An agent decides the path at runtime from the goal and what it observes, which handles messy, varying work but makes its behaviour less predictable — so consequential steps belong behind an approval.

**Are AI agents safe to give tool access?** Only with scoping and review. The working pattern is [human-in-the-loop](/glossary/human-in-the-loop): policy resolves each connection before a run, consequential actions wait for a named approver, unanswered approvals expire rather than defaulting to send, and every run leaves an [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail).

**What can AI agents do today?** Reliably: triage and draft, research across sources, move data between tools, run recurring multi-step work, operate software through a browser when there is no API, and hold context across long-running work. Less reliably: anything needing accountability, relationships, or judgement about people.

**Where do you run an AI agent?** Arlo runs where the work already happens — [iMessage and SMS](/imessage), [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), and live phone calls — with one memory across all of them.

## Try Arlo

Want an agent that acts, with guardrails already in place? [Start with Arlo](/signup) and put one governed AI colleague to work across the tools your team already uses. More in our [resources](/resources).

---

# What Is an AI Agent Audit Trail?

> An AI agent audit trail is a complete, tamper-evident record of what an AI agent did on your behalf — every tool it called, every source it read, and every approval it got — each step tied back to the request that started it. It's what lets you hand real work to an AI and still answer "what exactly happened, and who signed off?"

Updated: 2026-07-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail

Once an AI does more than chat — once it sends email, updates records, and takes actions in your real tools — a new question shows up: what did it actually do? An audit trail is the answer. It's the running record of every step an [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent) took, so a run is never a black box you have to take on faith.

An AI agent audit trail logs the whole chain of a task: the request that kicked it off, the tools the agent touched, the data it read, the actions it prepared, who approved them, and what finally went out. Read it back and you can reconstruct exactly what happened and why — the difference between trusting an assistant and being able to verify it.

## What a good audit trail records

Not every "activity log" is an audit trail. A real one captures the full chain, not just the output:

- **The request.** What was asked, by whom, and in which channel.
- **Every tool call.** Which integrations the agent used, and what it did in each — read, draft, write, send.
- **Sources.** The data and documents the agent read to reach its answer, so a claim can be traced to where it came from.
- **Approvals.** Which actions paused for review, who signed off, and when.
- **Outcomes.** What actually changed in your systems as a result.

## Why it matters

An audit trail isn't paperwork for its own sake. It's what makes delegation safe:

- **Trust through verification.** You can hand off real work because you can always check what the assistant did, instead of hoping it did the right thing.
- **Debugging.** When something looks off, the trail shows exactly where a run went sideways — which step, which source, which tool.
- **Accountability and compliance.** As AI regulation tightens through 2026, being able to show a reviewable record of automated actions — and the human approvals behind them — moves from nice-to-have to expected.
- **Security.** A clear log of what was accessed and changed is the first thing you reach for if you ever need to review an assistant's behavior.

## Audit trail vs. chat history vs. logs

These get conflated, but they answer different questions:

| | What it shows | What it misses |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chat history | The conversation you had | What the AI did in your tools |
| System logs | Raw technical events | The human-readable chain and approvals |
| Audit trail | The full task: request → tools → sources → approvals → outcome | Nothing critical — that's the point |

## How Arlo does it

[Arlo](/glossary/ai-colleague) treats the audit trail as part of how a run works, not a report bolted on afterward. Every connection resolves through policy before a run starts. A clear request runs, and Arlo [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending): when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. And every tool call, source, and approval stays tied to the original request in a trace you can read back. So whether Arlo acted in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), over text, or [on a call](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls), the record of what it did is always there.

For what this looks like as a working setup rather than a concept — evidence collection, policy attestation, and reviewable approvals — see [AI assistant for compliance](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-compliance).

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI agent audit trail?** It's a complete record of what an AI agent did on your behalf — every tool call, source, and approval — with each step tied back to the request that started it, so you can reconstruct exactly what happened.

**How is it different from chat history?** Chat history shows the conversation. An audit trail shows what the agent actually did in your tools as a result — the actions, the data it touched, and who approved each risky step.

**Why does an AI assistant need one?** Because once an assistant can take real actions, you need to be able to verify them. An audit trail is what makes it safe to delegate and what you'd reach for to debug or demonstrate compliance.

**Does Arlo keep an audit trail?** Yes. Every tool call, source, and approval is logged and tied to the request that started it, and Arlo asks first before it spends money, does something that can't be undone, or acts on an unclear request.

## Learn more

An audit trail is one of the three things that separate an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) from a chatbot — the others being memory and governed action. See how it works in practice with [how Arlo decides when to ask first](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending), or [try Arlo](/signup) and read back your own first run.

---

# What is an AI chief of staff?

> An AI chief of staff is an AI colleague that runs the connective tissue around a leader: the morning briefing, meeting prep, follow-ups that must not slip, and tasks that span email, calendar, chat, and records. Unlike a human chief of staff it doesn't exercise independent judgment — the strongest setups pair its coverage with approval gates, so leverage compounds without surprises.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-chief-of-staff

A chief of staff's real product is coverage: someone is watching everything around a leader — the commitments, the follow-ups, the prep, the loose threads — so the leader can spend attention where it compounds. An AI chief of staff applies an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) to that same surface area: it briefs you each morning, preps you before each meeting, chases what you delegated, and carries cross-tool tasks to done, from the channels you already use.

The term needs an honest boundary. A great human chief of staff exercises judgment *as you* — reads a room, kills a bad idea early, represents you in trade-offs. AI does not do that credibly in 2026, and products that pretend otherwise should worry you. What AI does better than any human is the coverage layer: never forgetting, never sleeping, and costing a rounding error. The full trade-off is mapped in [AI chief of staff vs a human](/compare/ai-chief-of-staff-vs-human).

## What an AI chief of staff actually runs

- **The morning brief** — one message: what changed overnight, today's shape, the three things at risk of slipping. Arlo delivers it in your texts or Slack from persistent memory across every channel.
- **Meeting prep** — who you're seeing, what happened last time, what's open, what you promised. Assembled from your email, calendar, notes, and CRM without being asked twice.
- **Commitment tracking** — everything you said you'd do and everything others owe you, chased on schedule so nothing dies in a thread.
- **Cross-tool execution** — "move the board meeting, tell the leads, update the doc" is one sentence to an AI chief of staff and four apps' worth of work it does for you.
- **Escalation with context** — what needs your judgment arrives framed: the situation, the options, what it recommends, and one tap to approve.

## Where the human line sits

Keep the judgment, delegate the coverage. An AI chief of staff shouldn't negotiate your term sheet or manage a conflict between two directors. It should make sure you walked into both conversations briefed, and that every follow-up from both landed. With [approval gates](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) on anything outbound and an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) behind every action, the failure mode of delegation — surprises under your name — is engineered out rather than hoped away.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI chief of staff do?** It runs the coverage layer around a leader: daily briefings, meeting prep, commitment tracking, follow-ups, and cross-tool tasks — escalating judgment calls to you with context.

**How is an AI chief of staff different from an AI executive assistant?** Largely scope. An [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) centers on calendar, inbox, and logistics; a chief-of-staff setup adds the watching brief — commitments, prep, and cross-team follow-through. With Arlo it's the same colleague configured for a bigger surface.

**Can an AI chief of staff replace a human one?** No — it replaces the coverage half of the job, not the judgment half. For leaders who'd never hire a human CoS, it delivers most of the felt value; for those with one, it makes them dramatically more effective.

**What tools does it need access to?** Email, calendar, chat, and wherever commitments live (docs, CRM, tickets). Grant access scoped and approval-gated, and extend autonomy as trust is earned.

**Where does Arlo fit?** Arlo is an AI colleague that runs exactly this surface — briefings, prep, follow-ups, cross-tool execution — over iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, doing clear asks, asking first on money or anything unclear, and keeping a full audit trail.

---

# What is an AI colleague?

> An AI colleague is an AI assistant that works inside the tools your team already uses — chat, email, and calls — instead of a separate app. Unlike a basic chatbot, it keeps persistent memory, takes real actions in your software through governed, approved tool access, and logs everything it does.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-colleague

"AI colleague" is the label for a newer kind of assistant: one that lives where your work already happens and can actually get the work done instead of just talking about it. You don't open another chat window or learn another app. You message or call it the way you'd ping a teammate, and it answers — and acts — in iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, or on the phone.

The phrase caught on because "chatbot," and even "AI assistant," undersell what these tools now do. A colleague doesn't just draft a reply when asked. It remembers the account, knows the deadline, sends the message once you approve, and tells you afterward what it did. That shift — from a thing you talk to into a thing you delegate to — is the whole idea.

## The three things that make it a colleague

A chatbot answers questions. An AI colleague finishes the job. Three properties make the difference, and most chatbots have none of them:

- **Memory.** It remembers your preferences, your projects, and what you said last week, so you stop re-explaining yourself every morning. Context carries across conversations and across surfaces — a thread you start in iMessage still makes sense later in Slack or on a call.
- **Action.** It connects to your real tools and does things in them: drafting and sending messages, updating records, booking meetings, running research. Not "here's what you could do," but the thing, done.
- **Accountability.** Because it acts, it has to be governed. Sensitive steps wait for your sign-off, and every tool call lands in an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back.

Drop any one of these and you're back to a chatbot. Keep all three and you have something you can actually hand work to.

## What an AI colleague can do

Think about the spread of work a good human assistant covers across a dozen apps. That's the target:

- Triage your inbox and draft the replies.
- Schedule meetings and chase reminders.
- Read from and write to the tools you live in — your CRM, project tracker, docs, and spreadsheets.
- [Make and take phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) for you.
- Research a prospect or a question and come back with a tight summary and its sources.
- Run recurring work on a schedule and deliver a morning briefing of what changed.

[Arlo](/) is one of these. It plugs into Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and a few thousand other tools. For apps with no API, it signs in once through a secure browser session and operates them the way you would, by hand.

## AI colleague vs. coworker vs. teammate vs. employee vs. agent

These terms blur into each other and get used interchangeably. Most of them point at the same idea; a couple carry different baggage. Here's the honest map:

| Term | What it emphasizes | Where it usually lives |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI chatbot | Answering questions in a conversation. | Its own chat window. |
| AI assistant | Helping you with tasks. | One app or chat surface. |
| AI agent | Pursuing a goal on its own, often headlessly. | Behind an API or a workflow. |
| [AI coworker](/glossary/ai-coworker) / AI teammate | The same idea as an AI colleague, framed around working alongside people. | The channels a team already uses. |
| AI employee / digital worker | A heavier, usually enterprise framing — a "role" a system fills, sometimes pitched with little human oversight. | Enterprise automation and RPA. |
| AI colleague | Assistant *and* agent together — memory, real action, and governance — living where you work. | iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and calls. |

**AI coworker** and **AI teammate** are effectively synonyms for AI colleague — same memory-plus-action-plus-governance idea, just a different word for the working-alongside-you part. **AI employee** and **digital worker** lean enterprise and often imply a fully autonomous "role" with no one watching, which is exactly the thing to be skeptical of. The honest distinction across all of them isn't the label — it's whether the thing has **memory**, can **act** in your real tools, and is **governed** so a human stays in the loop.

If you're weighing the words, compare an [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent), an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant), an [AI personal assistant](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant), and an [AI virtual assistant](/glossary/ai-virtual-assistant) — or browse the full [glossary](/glossary). Arlo is the colleague that spans all of them.

## Why "inside your tools" matters

Location is the whole game. A tool you have to remember to visit is a tool you forget by Thursday. Put the assistant in the channels you already check all day — your texts and your team chat — and the friction disappears. Nothing new to install, no new habit to build. You just ask. See it in practice as an [AI assistant you text in iMessage](/imessage), [in Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), or [on WhatsApp](/whatsapp) — one you can [text or call](/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call) like a coworker — or read how it stacks up against [Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke).

## Is an AI colleague just hype?

The idea does get oversold, so it's worth being precise about what's real. What's real today: persistent memory, action across the tools you already use, phone calls, and a clear audit trail. What isn't real — and what you shouldn't want — is a fully autonomous "employee" that needs no oversight and answers to no one. The colleague framing is honest *because* it keeps a human in the loop: the assistant moves fast on what you clearly ask, and checks with you before it spends money, does something that can't be undone, or guesses at what you meant. Speed without that check isn't a colleague; it's a liability.

## How trust works

Acting inside real software is only worth anything if it's safe to let it, so governance isn't a setting you turn on later. Access to each tool resolves through policy before every run. A clear request runs, and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. A full trace links every step back to the request that kicked it off. You can hand off real work and still know exactly what happened.

Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

## How an AI colleague fits real roles

The same colleague looks a little different depending on the job. [Founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders) use it to clear operational work between fundraising and product; [sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) use it to follow up on leads fast and keep the CRM honest; [recruiters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-recruiters) and [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors) lean on the text-and-call speed. See more [use cases](/use-cases) for how it plays out role by role.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI colleague?** An AI colleague is an AI assistant that works inside your existing tools — chat, email, and calls — with persistent memory, the ability to take governed actions in your software, and a full audit trail. It's something you delegate to, not just talk to.

**How is an AI colleague different from an AI assistant?** "AI assistant" usually means help with tasks inside one app or chat window. An AI colleague adds memory across conversations, real action across your whole stack, and governance — the difference between a helpful chat and a teammate who gets things done.

**Is an AI colleague the same as an AI agent?** Not quite. An [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent) pursues a goal on its own, often headlessly behind an API. An AI colleague is an agent *plus* an assistant: it acts, but it lives in the channels you use and answers to you, with approvals and an audit trail.

**What can an AI colleague actually do?** Triage and draft email, schedule meetings, update your CRM and project tools, make phone calls, run research, and deliver a morning briefing — across thousands of integrations, including apps with no API.

**Is it safe to let an AI colleague act in my tools?** Yes, when it's governed. With Arlo, connections resolve through policy before each run, it does what you clearly ask and asks first on money, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone, and every action is logged in an audit trace.

**How much does an AI colleague cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Admin controls, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

## Getting started

The easiest way in is through a channel you already use. [Try Arlo](/signup), message it in iMessage, Slack, or WhatsApp, or give it a call, and hand off the first thing on your list.

---

# What is an AI coworker?

> An AI coworker is an autonomous AI that works alongside a team as a digital team member. It takes initiative, owns multi-step work end to end across your connected tools, and reports back — instead of waiting for a prompt like a chatbot. "AI employee," "digital coworker," and "AI teammate" all name the same idea.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-coworker

"AI coworker" is the label for AI that doesn't just answer — it works. Instead of a chat window you open when you have a question, an AI coworker sits alongside your team like a digital team member: it takes initiative, picks up a job, carries it across the tools you already use, and comes back with the result. The same idea travels under a pile of names — **AI employee**, **digital coworker**, **AI worker**, **AI teammate** — and they all point at one thing: software you delegate to, not just talk to.

The term caught on because "chatbot" and even "AI assistant" undersell what these tools now do. A coworker doesn't wait to be told each step. Give it a goal and it owns the work from intake to resolution, then reports back — the same way you'd hand something to a person on your team and expect it to come back done.

## AI coworker, AI employee, digital coworker — one concept, many names

These are near-synonyms, not distinct products. **AI coworker** and **AI teammate** emphasize working alongside people. **AI employee** and **digital worker** carry a heavier, usually enterprise framing — a "role" a system fills, sometimes pitched with little human oversight, which is the part to be skeptical of. Underneath the vocabulary, the test is the same: does the thing have memory, can it act in your real tools, and is it governed so a human stays in the loop?

## AI coworker vs. AI assistant or chatbot

An [AI assistant or chatbot](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant) waits for a prompt and surfaces information. You ask; it answers. The moment the task needs a second step — sending the email, updating the record, chasing the reply — you're back at the keyboard. An AI coworker owns that whole arc: it does the thing, checks the result, and closes the loop. The shift is from a tool you operate to a teammate you hand work to.

## AI coworker vs. AI agent

An [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent) is the underlying building block — autonomous software that perceives, decides, and takes multi-step actions toward a goal. "AI coworker" is that same capability framed as a persistent teammate: an agent with a name, a role, durable memory, and a place on your team.

Put simply, every AI coworker is powered by agent technology, but not every agent is a coworker. A headless agent behind an API does a job and disappears. A coworker sticks around — it remembers the account and the deadline, and shows up in the channels your team already lives in.

## AI coworker vs. AI colleague

"AI coworker" and "AI colleague" are effectively the same concept — a teammate-shaped AI with memory, action, and governance. [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) is simply Arlo's preferred framing for it, and the deeper reference page for the whole family. If you're comparing the words themselves, start there; there's no meaningful difference in what the thing actually does.

## What makes an AI coworker actually usable

Autonomy alone isn't enough — an autonomous tool you can't trust is a liability, not a teammate. Three properties turn the idea into something a team can rely on:

- **Persistent memory.** It remembers your preferences, your projects, and what you said last week, so you stop re-explaining yourself every morning. Context carries across conversations and across surfaces.
- **Governed action.** Because it acts in real software, it does what you clearly ask and [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending): when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. You move fast, and you stay in charge.
- **A full audit trail.** Every tool call, source, and approval lands in an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back, so you always know exactly what your coworker did and why.

It also has to live where the team already works. A coworker you have to remember to visit is one you forget by Thursday. The useful ones show up in your texts, your team chat, and on the phone — no new app, no new habit.

## Where the term comes from

The "AI coworker / AI employee / digital worker" framing is now common across the market — from Salesforce's Agentforce and Coworker.ai to a wave of enterprise "digital worker" platforms — each staking out some version of AI-that-does-the-job. They differ mainly in how much human oversight they assume. The honest version keeps a person in the loop on anything consequential; that's what separates a genuine teammate from an unaccountable black box.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI coworker?** An AI coworker is an AI you delegate work to the way you would a colleague — reachable in the channels your team already uses, carrying memory of past decisions, and able to take real action in your tools rather than only answering questions.

**How is an AI coworker different from a chatbot?** A chatbot returns text. An AI coworker finishes the task: it reads the tools behind the request, drafts the output, and — once a reviewer approves — actually sends the email, opens the ticket, or updates the record.

**Is an AI coworker the same as an AI agent?** Closely related. "[AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent)" describes the technical capability to plan and use tools; "AI coworker" describes the working relationship — where it sits, how you reach it, what it is trusted with, and who reviews it.

**Can an AI coworker replace a hire?** It absorbs the recurring, delegable slice of a role — triage, follow-up, scheduling, data entry, chasing — not the judgement, relationships, or accountability. Teams typically use one to stop a hire being necessary sooner rather than to remove one.

**How do you keep an AI coworker from doing something wrong?** By scoping what it may touch and reviewing what it does: policy resolves each connection before a run, consequential actions wait for a named approver, and every run leaves an [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). Autonomy is extended per category as each one proves boring.

**What does an AI coworker cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. A call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold.

## Meet Arlo

Arlo is an AI colleague you talk to like a coworker — in iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and on live phone calls. It connects to 3,000+ tools, and for anything without an API it logs in once through a secure browser session and works the site like a person. It keeps persistent memory and sends you a morning briefing. Governance comes standard: a clear request runs and Arlo tells you what it did, it asks first on money or anything unclear, and every action lands in a full audit trace. It is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage; admin controls, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

Want a coworker that acts, with guardrails already in place? [Try Arlo](/signup) and hand off the first thing on your list. If you're still mapping the terms, compare an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague), an [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent), and an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant).

---

# What is an AI employee? Definition, examples, and limits

> An AI employee is an AI system a team treats like a hire: it receives work in plain language, carries tasks to completion across the company's tools, and is accountable for the result. It differs from a chatbot (answers only) and workflow automation (fixed steps). Products like Arlo and Viktor define the category; the strongest pair autonomy with approvals, scoped access, and an audit trail.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-employee

"AI employee" is the 2026 term for an AI system that a team treats like a hire rather than a tool: you delegate work to it in plain language, it carries the task through to a finished result across your company's software, and it's expected to be accountable for what it did. You @mention it in Slack or text it the way you'd message a teammate — and the output isn't an answer, it's completed work.

The term is marketing-flavored — companies like Viktor built their positioning on it, and Arlo's own term of art is [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) — but the underlying category is real, and it's worth defining precisely because the gap between products that *chat about* work and products that *do* work is the widest gap in AI right now.

## What makes something an AI employee

Four properties separate the category from its neighbors:

1. **Delegation, not prompting.** You hand it outcomes ("chase these five invoices," "get the QBR deck drafted"), not step-by-step instructions.
2. **Real action in real tools.** It works inside the company's actual stack — email, CRM, docs, tickets — rather than producing text for a human to paste.
3. **Persistence.** It remembers context across tasks and days; you don't re-explain the company every morning.
4. **Accountability.** What it did is inspectable — who asked, what it touched, what went out — the way you could ask an employee "walk me through what happened."

## AI employee vs the neighbors

| Term | What it does | Where it falls short of "employee" |
|---|---|---|
| Chatbot / assistant | Answers questions in a session | Talks; doesn't do |
| [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent) | Pursues a goal autonomously, often headless | Capable, but unmanaged — no channel, no accountability |
| Workflow automation | Repeats fixed steps on triggers | Breaks on anything it wasn't scripted for |
| **AI employee / colleague** | Takes delegated work to completion in your tools | The real thing — when governed |

## Examples, honestly labeled

As of July 2026 the recognizable products in and around the category: **Arlo** (an AI colleague across iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, that does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear, and keeps a full audit trail), **Viktor** (an AI employee in Slack/Teams known for code execution and heavy delegation — [compared here](/compare/arlo-vs-viktor)), and adjacent products like Lindy (build-your-own agents) and personal assistants like Poke that apply the same idea to one person's life rather than a team's work.

## The limits that matter

An AI employee is not a person, and pretending otherwise is how teams get burned. It doesn't own outcomes — you do; it executes. It's only as good as the access you give it, which is why the serious products are built around **governance**: scoped, [approval-gated](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) access with an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail), so autonomy is extended deliberately rather than assumed. And it fails differently than a person — confidently and fast — which is exactly why the approval gate exists on anything consequential.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does "AI employee" actually mean?** An AI system a team delegates real work to — received in plain language, completed in the company's tools, inspectable afterward. It's a category label, not a legal or HR concept.

**Is an AI employee the same as an AI agent?** An [AI agent](/glossary/ai-agent) is the underlying capability — autonomous goal pursuit. An AI employee is an agent packaged for a team: reachable in your channels, persistent, and governed. Every AI employee is an agent; most agents are not AI employees.

**What's the difference between an AI employee and an AI colleague?** Mostly emphasis. "AI employee" stresses delegation and headcount-like output; "AI colleague" — Arlo's term — stresses working alongside you in your channels with approvals and accountability. The products overlap heavily.

**Can an AI employee replace a human hire?** It absorbs the coordination layer of roles — follow-ups, triage, updates, scheduling, reporting — which can defer a hire or return hours to a team. Judgment, relationships, and ownership stay human.

**What should I check before giving one real access?** Three things: scoped permissions (it can touch only what you granted), approval gates on consequential actions, and a full audit trail. If a product can't show all three, don't connect it to customers.

---

# What is an AI executive assistant?

> An AI executive assistant is software that does the scheduling, inbox triage, coordination, and communication a human EA does. It works inside your existing tools, keeps persistent memory, takes real actions in your software through approved access, and logs everything it does.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-executive-assistant

An AI executive assistant is software that does the scheduling, inbox triage, coordination, and communication work a human EA handles. The thing that sets it apart is where it lives: inside the chat, email, and calendar you already use, not in yet another app you have to open. It remembers your context across days, takes real actions in your software once you approve them, and logs what it did. A chatbot answers questions. This one gets things off your plate.

## What an AI executive assistant does

A good EA is mostly logistics and follow-through. They keep the calendar clean, work the inbox down, draft the replies you'd write anyway, chase the people who owe you answers, and make sure nothing falls through. An AI version covers the same ground, except it's working the whole day without getting tired of it.

- **Scheduling** — finding times, booking meetings, untangling conflicts.
- **Inbox** — triaging email, drafting replies, surfacing the handful of things that actually need you.
- **Coordination** — chasing responses, nudging stalled projects, tracking who promised what.
- **Communication** — sending messages on your behalf, and in some cases handling live phone calls.
- **Briefings** — a quick summary of what moved overnight so you're not starting cold.

The line between this and a basic assistant tool is action. A chatbot tells you what to do. An AI executive assistant goes and does it in your real systems, after you've signed off.

## Who it's for

This is for people whose time is the bottleneck and who either can't justify a full-time human EA or can't find a good one. Founders, executives, salespeople, real estate agents, small teams. If your day is mostly calendar and inbox, that's exactly the load this takes off you. See how it plays out for [founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors), and [sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales).

## How it differs from a chatbot and a human EA

A generic chatbot sits in its own window, forgets you between sessions, and only produces text. A human EA remembers everything and gets work done, but they cost a salary, keep set hours, and can't be in two places at once. The pitch for an AI executive assistant is the memory and action of a person, available the whole time, right inside your tools. (When the scope grows past logistics into briefings, commitments, and cross-team follow-through, the role becomes an [AI chief of staff](/glossary/ai-chief-of-staff).)

| | Human EA | AI executive assistant | Basic chatbot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lives in your tools | Partially | Yes — chat, email, calls | No — separate app |
| Persistent memory | Yes | Yes | No |
| Takes real actions | Yes | Yes, with approvals | No — text only |
| Availability | Set hours | Continuous | On demand |
| Audit trail | Informal | Full, logged | None |
| Cost | Full salary | A fraction of a salary | Low / free |

## What to look for

Plenty of tools call themselves assistants. Most are chatbots with a nicer label. Here's what actually separates the real thing:

- **Persistent memory.** It should know your preferences, your people, and the work in flight, and tell you what changed without being asked.
- **Real tool access.** It should connect to your calendar, email, and the rest of your stack and take action. The good ones can even drive tools that have no API by working in a secure browser session.
- **Governance and approvals.** Actions should run through policy, and the ones that matter (money, anything permanent, anything unclear) should check with you first.
- **An audit trail.** Every action, source, and approval logged, so you can check the work instead of trusting it blind.

Miss those and you've bought a chatbot. The related idea of an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) takes the same thinking past one person's logistics into a shared teammate for the whole workspace.

## Arlo as an AI executive assistant

[Arlo](/) works inside iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, so there's no new chat app to learn. It keeps persistent memory and sends a morning briefing of what changed. It connects to Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools, and for the ones with no API it logs in once in a secure browser session and works like a person would.

Governance isn't an add-on. Every connection resolves through policy before each run. A clear request runs and Arlo tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full audit trace. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request. For how it stacks up against other assistants, see [Arlo vs Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) and [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives).

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI executive assistant?** An AI executive assistant handles the coordination layer of an executive's day — triaging email, scheduling and rescheduling, drafting replies and follow-ups, preparing briefings, and chasing the things that go quiet — and takes those actions in your real tools rather than just advising you to.

**How is it different from a human executive assistant?** A human EA brings judgement, discretion, and relationships. An AI EA brings availability and volume: it works at any hour, never drops a thread, and is priced like software rather than a salary. The realistic pattern is an AI EA absorbing the mechanical majority so a human EA (or the executive) spends attention on what actually needs it.

**Can an AI executive assistant make phone calls?** Some can. Arlo places live calls — confirming an appointment, chasing a vendor, passing a message — and keeps the transcript, so you can ask how it went. Most AI assistants are text-only.

**Is it safe to give an AI assistant access to my inbox and calendar?** The safeguard is scoping plus review, not trust. Connections resolve through policy before each run, Arlo asks first before it spends money, does something that can't be undone, or acts on an unclear request, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail).

**Where do you reach it?** Arlo works where you already are — [iMessage and SMS](/imessage), [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), and live phone calls — with one memory across all of them.

**What does an AI executive assistant cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Against a human EA's salary, the comparison is not close on price alone.

## Try Arlo

Want an assistant that lives where you already work and only acts with your approval? [Try Arlo](/signup).

---

# What is an AI personal assistant?

> An AI personal assistant is software that manages personal and work tasks for you: reminders, messages, calls, research, and running your apps. Older voice assistants like Siri or Alexa mostly answer questions. Modern ones take real actions inside your tools, remember your preferences, and report back when the work is done.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-personal-assistant

An AI personal assistant is software that handles your everyday tasks. It sets reminders, sends messages, makes calls, does research, and runs the apps you already use. Siri and Alexa were the first wave, but they mostly answered questions and flipped a few smart switches. The newer ones actually do things, remember what you told them last week, and tell you when a task is finished.

That last part is the whole game. A voice assistant reads you the weather. An action-taking assistant reads your inbox, drafts a reply, books the call, looks up the vendor, edits the doc, and then tells you what it did.

## What an AI personal assistant can do

Most capable assistants cover the same ground:

- **Reminders and scheduling** — timed nudges, calendar events, and follow-ups so nothing slips.
- **Messages** — drafting, sending, and triaging your texts and email.
- **Calls** — placing or answering phone calls to confirm appointments or chase down an answer.
- **Research** — searching, comparing options, and handing you the short version.
- **Apps** — operating the software you live in, from email and calendars to project tools.

The good ones meet you where you already are, in your messages and on the phone. The mediocre ones make you open yet another app and remember to check it.

## Voice assistant vs. action-taking AI personal assistant

Three things separate the old guard from the new: memory, the ability to act, and how deeply they plug into your tools.

| Capability | Voice assistant (Siri/Alexa style) | Action-taking AI personal assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Primary mode | Answers questions, controls devices | Completes multi-step tasks end to end |
| Memory | Little or none between sessions | Persistent memory of your preferences and context |
| Tool access | Limited, fixed integrations | Connects to email, calendar, and many apps |
| Apps without an API | Cannot use them | Logs in and operates them like a person |
| Accountability | No record of actions | Reports back and keeps a trail of what it did |

A voice assistant is reactive and forgets everything between requests. An action-taking assistant remembers and follows through.

## Why memory and real tool access matter

Strip those two things away and you're left with a chatbot that can describe your to-do list but not touch it.

Memory is what saves you from re-explaining yourself. The assistant knows your preferences, the projects you have open, and what you talked about yesterday, so it can give you a morning briefing of what changed and pick up mid-thread.

Real tool access is what lets it finish the job instead of narrating it. It connects to the services you use, and for the ones with no API, it logs in once in a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills out forms the way you would.

This is also why governance starts to matter. Once an assistant can act on your behalf, you want a say in it. Drafts and sends should be able to wait for your approval, and every action should be written down so you can check exactly what happened.

## How an AI personal assistant fits with related roles

The label blurs into a few others. An AI personal assistant — this page — skews toward everyday personal and work tasks. An [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) leans harder into scheduling, inbox, and coordination at a professional level. An [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) is the broader idea of an assistant that works inside your team's shared tools with governed, audited actions.

Picking one? It helps to compare approaches. See [Arlo vs. Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) and [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives).

## Arlo as a text- and call-based AI personal assistant

[Arlo](/) lives in the channels you already use: iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. There's no separate app to learn. It keeps persistent memory and sends a morning briefing of what changed. It connects to Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools, and for software with no API, it logs in once in a secure browser session and operates it directly.

Because Arlo actually acts, governance is part of the design. Connections resolve through policy before each run, a clear request runs, you can tell Arlo to always ask before certain actions, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full audit trace. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request. It tends to land best with [founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors), and [sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) who run their day from their messages and the phone.

If you're weighing which of the two you actually need, [AI colleague vs AI personal assistant](/compare/ai-colleague-vs-personal-assistant) sets the distinction out side by side.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI personal assistant?** An AI personal assistant handles the admin of your own life and work — messages, scheduling, reminders, bookings, follow-ups, research — through conversation, and takes the action rather than handing you instructions.

**How is it different from Siri or Google Assistant?** Voice assistants execute single commands against a narrow set of built-in functions. An AI personal assistant holds context across a conversation, remembers what happened last week, works across your connected tools, and completes multi-step tasks that take more than one action.

**Can an AI personal assistant book things and send messages for me?** Yes — that is the point of one. With Arlo, a clear request runs and it tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and it shows you a message it wrote before it goes to someone you know who hasn't seen it, unless you tell it to just send.

**Do I need to install an app?** Not with Arlo — you text a number from [iMessage or SMS](/imessage), or call it. It also works in [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), and in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) if your work lives there.

**Is a personal AI assistant private?** It depends on the product, so check what any assistant retains and who can see it. With Arlo, connections resolve through policy before each run and every run is inspectable in a full [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail), so what it accessed is a matter of record rather than trust.

**What does an AI personal assistant cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. A call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold.

## Try Arlo

Want an assistant that texts, calls, and actually gets work done? [Try Arlo](/signup) and start handing off tasks today.

---

# What is an AI phone assistant?

> An AI phone assistant is an AI that handles real phone calls on your behalf: it places outbound calls (confirmations, follow-ups, bookings), receives inbound ones (fielding questions, capturing details, escalating what needs you), and reports back with a summary and updated records. It differs from voice control like Siri, which dials for you but leaves the conversation to you.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-phone-assistant

An AI phone assistant is an AI that has phone conversations *for* you, not just *with* you. You delegate a call the way you'd delegate an email — "confirm Thursday's booking," "call the supplier about the missing tracking" — and the assistant dials, speaks with whoever answers, navigates the back-and-forth, and comes back with the outcome. The good ones also work the other direction: answering your line, fielding the common questions, capturing details, and escalating the calls that genuinely need you.

It's worth defining because the phone remains where an enormous share of real-world coordination actually happens — clinics, vendors, restaurants, county offices, customers of every local business — and it's the surface most AI products silently skip. Listing who can and can't call is short work: [we keep the honest list here](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls).

## What one does, concretely

- **Outbound**: places the call, states who it is and why it's calling, holds a natural conversation — including holds, IVR menus, and "let me check" pauses — and pursues the task to an outcome.
- **Inbound**: answers, handles the questions it can, captures name/number/reason for the rest, and escalates by text or transfer when a human is needed.
- **Afterward** — the part that separates a toy from a tool: a transcript you can go back to, and your records (calendar, CRM, notes) updated to match what was agreed on the call.

## AI phone assistant vs voice assistant vs IVR

| | Voice assistant (Siri etc.) | Phone tree / IVR | AI phone assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who has the conversation | You | Nobody — menus | The AI, on your behalf |
| Direction | Dials for you | Inbound only | Outbound + inbound |
| Outcome captured in your tools | — | — | ✓ |
| Example | "Call Mom" | "Press 2 for billing" | "Call the venue and confirm Thursday" |

## How Arlo treats the phone

For Arlo, the phone is a first-class channel of an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague), not a bolt-on — [here is what that looks like as a product](/phone). The same colleague you text in iMessage or @mention in Slack places calls, with one memory across all of it. That continuity is the practical part: you text a request, Arlo calls, and you can ask how it went in the same thread. Governance applies to calls like any consequential action: approval gates where it matters, and every call in the [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) with a transcript you can check. The [phone-calling executive assistant guide](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) shows the end-to-end pattern.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI phone assistant?** An AI that conducts real phone calls on your behalf — placing and receiving them, holding the conversation, and reporting the outcome with your records updated.

**Is Siri an AI phone assistant?** No — Siri dials numbers and can screen or hold, but you still have the conversation. An AI phone assistant has the conversation itself.

**Do AI phone calls sound robotic?** Modern AI voices are close to human in pacing and tone. The bigger quality bar is behavioral: honest identification, staying on task, and graceful escalation to you.

**Should the AI say it's an AI on a call?** Yes — honest identification is both good practice and, in a growing number of places, a legal expectation. A trustworthy product doesn't rely on passing as human.

**Which products actually do this?** As of September 2026: Arlo places calls for work, with an audit trail; Google's Ask for Me calls local businesses; Meta's Muse and Instinct call businesses in beta; and Catch, Pally and Martin place calls too. Most AI assistants — including ChatGPT and Slack-only AI employees — don't touch the phone.

---

# What Is an AI Virtual Assistant? Definition and Guide

> An AI virtual assistant is software that does the admin work a human VA would, like scheduling, email triage, reminders, research, and data entry, but automatically. The good ones have persistent memory, real access to your tools, and governance so a person approves sensitive actions.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/ai-virtual-assistant

An AI virtual assistant is software that does the same admin and support work a human virtual assistant (VA) would, like scheduling, email triage, reminders, research, and data entry, only it runs automatically. You're not handing tasks to a remote person. You're handing them to a program that connects to your tools and acts for you. The ones worth using add three things: persistent memory, real access to your accounts, and governance so a reviewer signs off on anything sensitive before it happens — at which point the more useful word for it is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague).

## What an AI virtual assistant does

Same recurring admin load a human VA carries, run by software:

- Scheduling meetings and untangling calendar conflicts
- Triaging, drafting, and replying to email
- Setting reminders and chasing follow-ups
- Researching people, companies, and options before a decision
- Updating data across apps
- Summarizing long threads, documents, and calls

What sets it apart from a chatbot is action. A chatbot answers your question and stops. An AI virtual assistant logs into your real accounts and actually does the thing.

## AI virtual assistant vs. human VA vs. voice assistant

People blur these three. They solve different problems.

| | AI virtual assistant | Human VA | Voice assistant (Siri, Alexa) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Availability | 24/7, instant | Working hours | 24/7 |
| Cost | Subscription or prepaid credits | Hourly or salaried | Bundled with device |
| Task depth | Multi-step workflows across tools | Multi-step, judgment-heavy | Single commands |
| Memory | Persistent across tasks | Personal memory | Little to none |
| Tool access | APIs plus browser actions | Whatever they can log into | Limited integrations |
| Best for | Repeatable admin and ops work | Nuanced, relationship-heavy work | Quick device commands |

A human VA still beats software on judgment, relationships, and the fuzzy tasks where someone has to read between the lines. A voice assistant is for quick one-off commands, not work you can leave running. The AI virtual assistant lives in between. It does real multi-step work continuously and it remembers the context from one task to the next.

## Where an AI virtual assistant helps most

Anywhere the same admin work keeps coming back, it pays for itself:

- Founders trying to protect their time and keep the inbox and calendar from eating the day. See our [AI assistant for founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders) guide.
- Sales teams researching prospects and keeping the CRM honest ([AI assistant for sales](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales)).
- Realtors running showings, follow-ups, and a steady stream of client questions ([AI assistant for realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors)).
- Ops roles stuck with routine data entry and updates that span four apps.

If you need support closer to the executive level, here's how this compares to an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant).

## What to look for

Plenty of products call themselves AI virtual assistants and can't safely do much. Three things separate a real one from a demo.

Persistent memory comes first. It should know your preferences, your people, and what you're in the middle of, instead of meeting you fresh every morning.

Real tool access is second, and it's where most products quietly fall short. It has to connect to the apps you already live in, including the ones with no public API, by logging in once and working through a secure browser session.

Governance is the one people skip and the one that bites. Sensitive actions should check with you first, with a full record of every tool call, source, and approval behind them. An assistant that can touch your accounts with nobody watching is a liability. One that asks before it does the things that matter is a colleague.

## How Arlo works as an AI virtual assistant

[Arlo](/) is an AI virtual assistant that works where you already are: iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls. Nothing new to install. You text it the way you'd text a person, and it goes and does the work.

Arlo keeps persistent memory and sends a morning briefing of what changed overnight. It connects to Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools, and for apps with no API it logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills out forms like a person would. Governance is built in. Every connection runs through policy before each run, a clear request runs and Arlo tells you what it did, it asks first on money or anything unclear, and every action lands in a full audit trace.

For teams, Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI virtual assistant?** An AI virtual assistant is software that takes on the delegable work a remote human assistant would handle — inbox triage, scheduling, follow-ups, data entry, research — through conversation, acting in your connected tools instead of only drafting suggestions.

**How is an AI virtual assistant different from a human VA?** A human VA brings judgement and can own ambiguous work end to end. An AI VA answers instantly, works at any hour, and scales with usage rather than headcount — but needs its scope defined and its consequential actions reviewed.

**What can an AI virtual assistant actually do?** With Arlo: triage and reply to email, schedule and reschedule, open and update records in connected tools, run recurring work on a schedule, place phone calls, deliver a morning briefing, and operate systems that have no API through a secure browser session.

**Can it work with tools that have no integration?** Yes. Where there is no API, Arlo signs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms the way a person would — under the same approvals and audit trail as any other action.

**Is it safe to let a virtual assistant act on my accounts?** The control is scoping and review: policy resolves each connection before a run, Arlo asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and every run lands in a full [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail).

**What does an AI virtual assistant cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Set that against an hourly or salaried human VA.

## Try Arlo

Want an AI virtual assistant that works inside your messages and on your calls, with memory and governance built in? [Sign up for Arlo](/signup), or browse more [resources](/resources) to see how it fits your team.

---

# What is human-in-the-loop AI? (HITL, explained)

> Human-in-the-loop (HITL) AI is a design where a person stays at the decision points of an AI system: the AI does the work, but consequential actions — sends, purchases, changes, calls — wait for human approval, and everything is reviewable afterward. It's how teams trust AI with real access: autonomy is extended deliberately, category by category, instead of granted all at once.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/glossary/human-in-the-loop

Human-in-the-loop (HITL) is the design principle that keeps a person at the decision points of an AI system. The AI reads, drafts, plans, and prepares; a human approves the moments that matter — the email before it sends, the call before it's placed, the record before it changes hands. It's the difference between delegating work and abdicating it.

The term came from machine learning (humans labeling data and correcting models in training loops), but in 2026 its everyday meaning has shifted to **agentic systems**: now that [AI agents](/glossary/ai-agent) can genuinely act — send, buy, book, call, modify — the question "where does the human sit?" became the central trust question of the category. HITL is the answer that works.

## The three loops

1. **Approval (before)** — consequential actions queue for a human yes. The practical art is scoping: gate by consequence (outbound, irreversible, money, customers), not by blanket rule, or you've rebuilt the work you delegated.
2. **Exception (during)** — the AI proceeds on routine work but escalates when confidence drops or stakes spike: the angry customer thread, the invoice that doesn't match, the call going sideways.
3. **Review (after)** — everything is inspectable after the fact via an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail): what ran, what it touched, who approved. Review is what lets approval gates loosen safely over time.

Mature systems use all three, and move work gradually from loop 1 toward loop 3 as trust is earned — which is the actual, unglamorous mechanism by which "AI adoption" happens without incident.

## What this looks like in practice

In Arlo, the human sits where consequences are real. A clear request runs, and Arlo tells you what it did. It [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending): when a request is unclear, would spend money, can't be undone, or would send its own wording to someone you know who hasn't seen it. Those questions arrive where you already are (a tap in iMessage or Slack); policy checks run before every action; and every run lands in a full audit trail. You can also tell Arlo to always ask before certain actions.

## The honest trade-off

HITL costs latency: an approval queue is only as fast as its human. Badly scoped, it becomes rubber-stamping — all the clicks of doing the work with none of the attention. The design answer is asymmetry: approvals only where consequences are real, exception-based escalation everywhere else, and enough context in each approval request (what, why, to whom, with one tap to act) that reviewing takes seconds, not re-research.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does human-in-the-loop mean in AI?** A design where humans hold the decision points of an AI system — approving consequential actions before they happen, handling escalations, and reviewing what ran afterward.

**Why does human-in-the-loop matter for AI agents?** Because agents act. An agent with tool access can send, change, and spend; HITL is how you get that leverage without accepting silent failure as a cost of doing business.

**Is human-in-the-loop slower?** The approval step adds a tap where consequences are real; everything else runs at machine speed. Well-scoped gates cost seconds and prevent the class of mistakes that costs days.

**What's the difference between human-in-the-loop and human oversight?** Oversight is often after-the-fact review alone. HITL puts the human *before* consequential actions too — approval, not just autopsy.

**How does Arlo implement it?** Clear requests run, and Arlo asks first on money, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone. Policy checks run before every run, a full audit trail comes after, and you can tell Arlo to always ask before certain actions.

---

# AI agent for ads — Google, Meta, LinkedIn, X

> An AI agent for ads runs the daily grind of your ad accounts: it pulls performance across Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and X, flags wasted spend and creative fatigue, drafts budget and campaign changes, and applies them only after you approve. Arlo does this from a text or Slack thread — a spend brief every morning, one tap per change, and a full audit trail of everything it touched.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-agent-for-ads

Ad accounts punish inattention. Budgets drift, a broken conversion tag burns a week of spend, creative fatigues quietly, and the platform's own "recommendations" are optimized for the platform. Managing it well is a daily job — checking, comparing, adjusting — that most teams do weekly at best. An AI agent for ads does the daily job daily: it watches your accounts, tells you what actually changed, drafts the fixes, and — this part is non-negotiable — waits for your approval before touching spend.

That last clause is why the category needs care. Plenty of tools will "optimize" your campaigns autonomously; anyone who has run real budgets knows the horror stories. The right shape for an ads agent is [human-in-the-loop](/glossary/human-in-the-loop): machine diligence, human sign-off on every dollar that moves. (Ads are also one lane of the broader [AI marketing agent](/use-cases/ai-marketing-agent) role — same colleague, wider brief.)

## What Arlo does with your ad accounts

- **The morning spend brief** — one message in iMessage or Slack: yesterday's spend and results by platform, what moved, what looks off. No dashboard safari.
- **Waste detection** — campaigns past their frequency ceiling, keywords eating budget without converting, audience overlap, a landing page that started 404ing. Flagged in plain language, with the dollar amount at stake.
- **Drafted changes, not surprise changes** — "shift $40/day from campaign A to B," "pause these three ad sets," "raise the cap on the winner." Each arrives as a proposal with the reasoning; you approve with a tap and Arlo applies it.
- **Cross-platform answers** — "what's our blended CAC this week?" is one question, not four exports. Arlo connects to Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and X ads accounts among 3,000+ integrations, and can pull a proper report on request.
- **Weekly rollups for whoever asks** — a clean performance summary to your channel, your client, or your inbox, on schedule.
- **The audit trail** — every report pulled, every change applied, every approval, in one [reviewable trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). When someone asks "who changed the budget?", there's an answer.

## Why approval-first matters more for ads than anywhere else

An ads mistake is a special kind of expensive: it spends real money, silently, at machine speed. That's why Arlo is careful here: it reads and reports freely, **asks before applying any change it proposed itself, and never moves budget without your yes**. Over time you can loosen specific, boring categories ("always pause anything spending with zero conversions for 3 days") while keeping human sign-off on budget moves. Autonomy is earned per category, never assumed — the opposite of handing your account to a black-box optimizer.

## The weekly loop, concretely

What "managing your ads" means in practice, one week at a time:

- **Daily (2 minutes of yours):** the morning spend brief lands in your thread — spend and results by platform, anything anomalous in dollars. Most days you read it and move on.
- **When something's off:** Arlo flags it the day it happens — "campaign B's CPA doubled yesterday; the landing page is returning 404s" — with the proposed fix attached, not just the alarm.
- **Midweek:** approval cards for whatever the data justified: the budget shift, the negative keywords, the paused ad set. Each one carries the why, the expected impact, and the rollback. You approve in taps.
- **Friday:** the weekly rollup — week over week, cost per goal-event, what was changed and what it did, what's deliberately being left alone. Forwardable to a client or a cofounder as-is.
- **Monthly:** a step back — creative fatigue audit, audience saturation, the experiment queue for next month, and anything structural (tracking drift, overlap) that crept in.

The division of labor stays fixed: Arlo does the watching, the math, and the drafting; you do the judgment, one tap at a time.

## The numbers that matter, by objective

An ads agent is only as good as the metric it optimizes. The honest mapping:

| Your objective | Optimize toward | Treat as noise |
|---|---|---|
| Lead gen / demos | Cost per qualified conversation | Raw clicks, CTR bragging |
| E-commerce | Blended CAC and contribution margin | Platform-attributed ROAS alone |
| Early-stage learning | Replies and conversations started | Vanity conversions on tiny samples |
| Brand / launch | Reach and frequency inside caps | Any "engagement" metric |

If a platform metric and your business metric disagree, the business metric wins — and if conversion volume is too small to conclude anything, the right report says exactly that.

## Agent vs the platform's built-in automation

| | Platform auto-rules / "AI" campaigns | Arlo |
|---|---|---|
| Whose interest it optimizes | The platform's | Yours |
| Sees across Google + Meta + LinkedIn + X | — | ✓ |
| Explains changes in plain language | — | ✓ Reasoned proposals |
| Asks before moving spend | — | ✓ Every budget change |
| Reports where you actually are (text/Slack) | — | ✓ |
| Audit trail of every change | Partial, per platform | ✓ Unified |

Platform automation has its place — smart bidding inside a campaign works. The agent sits above it: cross-platform eyes, your priorities, your sign-off.

## Getting started

Connect your ad accounts, tell Arlo your targets ("keep blended CAC under $85, flag anything unusual daily"), and tell it to ask before every change for the first two weeks. You'll get the morning brief immediately; the trust to let it do more comes from watching its proposals be right. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. Weigh that against what one silent week of wasted spend costs.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an AI agent really manage my ad campaigns?** Yes, with the right guardrails: it watches performance daily, flags waste, and drafts changes — but applies them only after you approve. Arlo asks before applying a change it proposed and before any budget move.

**Which ad platforms does it work with?** Arlo connects to major ad platforms — Google, Meta, LinkedIn, X — among 3,000+ integrations, and can operate dashboards with no API through a secure browser session.

**Will it change budgets without asking?** No. Budget changes move money, so Arlo asks first, and changes it comes up with on its own arrive as proposals. A change you clearly ask for, like "pause campaign B," it just does and tells you. You can later authorize narrow, routine actions (like pausing zero-conversion ad sets) while keeping sign-off on budget moves.

**How is this different from Google's automated recommendations?** Platform recommendations optimize inside one platform, with the platform's incentives. An agent works across all your platforms, optimizes for your targets, explains itself, and answers to you.

**Can it produce client-ready reports?** Yes — scheduled cross-platform rollups delivered to a channel, a thread, or an inbox, plus on-demand answers like "what's driving CAC up this week?"

**Can it write the ad creative too?** It drafts copy variations across distinct angles — pain-led, outcome-led, proof-led — in your brand voice, for your approval before anything runs. Creative claims are never invented: every factual statement in an ad comes from you or a verifiable source.

**Which metrics should an AI ads agent optimize?** The ones tied to your objective, not the platform's: cost per qualified conversation for lead gen, blended CAC for e-commerce, replies for early-stage learning. A good agent tells you when your sample is too small to optimize anything honestly.

---

# AI agent for customer success — renewals never surprised

> An AI agent for customer success runs the coverage layer of CS: watching account health signals across your tools, flagging the accounts going quiet before renewal does, prepping QBRs from real usage and history, chasing follow-ups, and keeping the CRM true. Arlo does this from Slack, WhatsApp, or text, shows you messages it writes before customers see them, and logs every action.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-agent-for-customer-success

Churn is rarely a surprise to the data — only to the team. The account that stopped logging in six weeks ago, the champion who changed jobs, the support thread that ended unresolved, the renewal in 45 days with no touch in 90: the signals sat in four different tools while everyone was busy with the accounts that were talking. An AI agent for customer success is the fix for exactly that shape of failure: it watches everything, so humans can go deep on the accounts that need them.

## What Arlo covers

- **Health signals, unified** — usage drops, support sentiment, invoice friction, champion changes picked up from email and LinkedIn-shaped signals in your tools. Each account gets a watching brief; you get pinged when a pattern turns, not a dashboard to remember.
- **Renewal runway** — every renewal gets a countdown with staged touches: the 90-day check-in drafted, the 45-day value recap assembled, the 14-day silence escalated to the owner as a genuine risk.
- **QBR prep, assembled** — usage trends, delivered value, open items, and the plan — pulled from your actual tools into your deck or doc format, for the CSM to edit judgment into rather than build from scratch.
- **The quiet-account chase** — check-ins drafted for accounts that stopped responding, and when email goes nowhere, [a real phone call](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls) — then the outcome logged where the team can see it.
- **CRM truth as a side effect** — every thread, touch and call outcome you ask it to log lands on the record, so handoffs and forecasts run on reality. The [sales-side agent](/use-cases/ai-sales-agent) works the same muscle pre-close.
- **Voice-of-customer rollups** — what accounts are actually asking for, aggregated from threads and tickets into a monthly note product will actually read.

## The line CS work must respect

Customer trust is the asset, so **check-ins and recaps Arlo writes go to the CSM before they reach a customer**, unless the CSM says to just send. A call or message the CSM clearly asks for runs, and Arlo reports back. The CSM can also tell Arlo to always ask before certain kinds of outreach. Escalations (the angry thread, the churn signal on a top account) go to a human immediately with context, never handled solo. Everything lands in the [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail), which is also what makes handoffs between CSMs stop losing history.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI agent for customer success do?** Watches account health across tools, flags risk early, preps QBRs, runs renewal touch sequences for approval, chases quiet accounts, and keeps the CRM true.

**Will it talk to my customers directly?** Only when your CSM asks it to. Messages Arlo writes go to the CSM first unless they say to just send, and high-stakes moments always escalate to a human rather than being handled autonomously.

**Can it really predict churn?** It surfaces the patterns that precede churn — usage decline, silence, support friction, champion loss — early enough to act. Prediction is pattern-flagging plus human judgment, honestly divided.

**Does it work with our CS stack?** Arlo connects to CRMs, support desks, email, and analytics among 3,000+ integrations, with a secure browser session for tools that have no API.

**What does it cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. Weigh that against the cost of one renewal that walked out silently.

---

# AI agent for data entry — even in tools with no API

> An AI agent for data entry moves information between systems like a careful person: reading source documents, filling forms, updating records, and keeping spreadsheets in sync. Arlo works across 3,000+ integrations — and for software with no API, it logs in through a secure browser session and uses the interface directly. Changes are reviewable, batch-approved where it matters, audit-trailed.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-agent-for-data-entry

Data entry survived two decades of automation promises for one stubborn reason: the systems that need connecting weren't built to connect. The portal your supplier insists on. The government form. The legacy tool that runs the industry and last shipped an update in 2019. Integration platforms cover the modern half of the stack; a human covers the rest, one copy-paste at a time — usually a human whose actual job is something else.

An AI agent closes that gap from the human side: instead of waiting for an API that will never ship, it uses the software the way a person does.

## What Arlo does

- **Between-system transfer** — read the invoice PDF, the email thread, or the export; enter it into the CRM, the tracker, the books. The judgment calls a person would make (dedupe, format, "which field does this go in") follow rules you set once.
- **No-API tools, handled** — Arlo logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms directly. The supplier portal, the legacy ERP screen, the government filing — reachable without anyone's afternoon.
- **Spreadsheets kept true** — the ops sheet, the pipeline tracker, the inventory count: updated as a side effect of the work happening in threads and tools, not reconstructed weekly by hand.
- **Batch jobs with review** — "enter these 80 conference leads" comes back as a completed batch with a summary of exceptions ("3 duplicates skipped, 2 missing emails flagged") rather than 80 silent writes.
- **Requested from a thread** — forward the attachment in iMessage or Slack with "get these into the system" and the confirmation lands back in the same thread.

## Accuracy, verifiable

Human data entry fails by fatigue; automation fails by confidently doing the wrong thing at scale. Arlo's design attacks both: extraction is grounded in the actual source document, ambiguous rows get **flagged instead of guessed**, bulk writes can wait on [batch approval](/glossary/human-in-the-loop), and every change is recorded in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) — so "what changed, from what source, approved by whom" always has an answer. Spot-check the first batches, then loosen review as the error rate proves itself.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an AI agent do data entry in software without an API?** Yes — Arlo logs in through a secure browser session and operates the interface like a person: reading screens, filling forms, submitting records. No integration required.

**How accurate is it?** Entries are grounded in the source document, ambiguous data is flagged for a human instead of guessed, and batch summaries surface exceptions. You review early batches and loosen oversight as accuracy proves out.

**What kinds of data entry can it handle?** Invoices and orders into finance tools, leads into CRMs, listings and inventory updates, form filings, spreadsheet syncs — anything with a readable source and a destination system.

**Does it see my passwords?** No — Arlo authenticates once through a secure browser session without exposing credentials, and touches only the systems you've granted.

**Is my data used to train AI models?** Arlo is built for governed business use with scoped access and audit trails; see the privacy policy for the current data-handling commitments.

---

# AI agent for lead generation — research, enrich, follow up

> An AI agent for lead generation works the gap between "we need pipeline" and a booked meeting: researching accounts that fit your ICP, enriching and qualifying inbound signups, drafting personalized first touches, routing hot leads to the right rep instantly, and chasing every lead before it cools. Arlo runs this from your Slack or text thread and sends outreach when you ask.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-agent-for-lead-generation

Lead generation fails in the gaps, not the tools. The signup that waited two days for a reply. The conference list nobody worked. The "hot" lead that was actually a student, and the student-looking one that was actually a VP with a personal email. Teams buy databases and sequencers and still leak pipeline, because the connective work — research, enrichment, qualification, timing — is manual, boring, and always loses to whatever's on fire.

That connective work is exactly what an [AI agent](/glossary/ai-employee) absorbs. Not another data source; the worker between your data sources.

## What Arlo runs

- **Account research on demand** — "find 30 companies that look like our best customers" returns a researched list with the why, not just a filter export: hiring signals, stack hints, recent news, the right person to reach.
- **Inbound enrichment and qualification** — every signup gets researched the minute it lands: company, role, fit against your ICP. The VP with a Gmail address gets caught; the fake gets filtered. Hot ones ping the right rep in Slack immediately — [speed to lead](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) stops being aspirational.
- **Personalized first touches** — drafted from the research, in your voice, referencing something true. Ask to see them first and Arlo shows you each one; say send and they go.
- **The chase** — leads cool on a clock. Arlo tracks every open thread, drafts the follow-up when the window hits, and [picks up the phone](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls) when email goes nowhere.
- **List hygiene as a side effect** — the CRM reflects reality because updating it is part of every action, not a Friday chore.
- **Reporting that answers the question** — "what did lead gen produce this month, by source?" asked in your thread, answered from your actual tools.

## The honest limits

An agent doesn't fix a bad ICP, a weak offer, or a product nobody wants — garbage in, faster garbage out. And bulk cold spam remains a reputational tax no matter who writes it; Arlo writes one researched note per lead, and you can see every draft before it goes whenever you ask. Where the agent shines is conversion of interest you've already earned and disciplined pursuit of accounts you've deliberately chosen — the two places human teams leak the most.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI agent for lead generation actually do?** Research target accounts, enrich and qualify inbound leads, draft personalized outreach, route hot leads instantly, and chase every open thread on schedule — with your CRM updated throughout.

**Can it find leads by itself?** It researches companies and people matching the profile you define, using your tools and the open web. You set the ICP; it does the digging and shows its reasoning.

**Will it send cold email automatically?** Only what you clearly ask it to send. Ask to see the drafts first and it shows you each one before anything goes out, and you can tell Arlo to always ask before outreach. It's built for researched, personal outreach, not bulk sends.

**How fast does it respond to inbound?** Enrichment and routing happen the moment a lead lands; the rep gets pinged in Slack or by text with context. The first-touch draft is ready before a human would have opened the notification.

**What tools does it work with?** CRMs, email, enrichment sources, and forms among 3,000+ integrations — plus a secure browser session for tools with no API.

---

# AI agent for project management — status without the chasing

> An AI agent for project management does the coordination work around projects: keeping the tracker true to reality, chasing owners before deadlines slip, assembling the status update nobody wants to write, and surfacing blockers early. Arlo does this across Linear, Notion, Slack, and email — from the thread you're already in, with approvals on anything outbound.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-agent-for-project-management

Project management tools don't manage projects — people do, and people spend most of that effort on a loop of asking: what's the status, who owns this, is the deadline real, why is the tracker three days behind reality. The tracker is a mirror that someone has to keep polishing. An AI agent for project management takes the polishing — and the chasing, the assembling, and the reporting — so the humans keep only the deciding.

## What Arlo runs

- **A tracker that tells the truth** — when work happens in Slack threads, PRs, and docs, Arlo reflects it into [Linear](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-linear) or your tracker of choice: statuses, links, owners. The board stops being archaeology.
- **Deadline chasing, depersonalized** — "the launch checklist has three items due Friday with no movement" arrives as a nudge to each owner, politely, from Arlo. Nobody has to be the nag; the nag is infrastructure.
- **The status update, assembled** — weekly or per-milestone: what shipped, what slipped, what's blocked, what's next — drafted from the actual tracker and threads, for your one-tap approval before it goes to stakeholders.
- **Standup prep** — each morning, per person or per team: yesterday's movement, today's plan, blockers surfaced from the tools rather than memory.
- **Blocker surfacing** — the dependency that quietly stalled, the review sitting unclaimed for four days, the vendor who never replied. Flagged when it's a nudge, not a crisis — and [chased by phone](/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call) when a call is what it takes.
- **Meeting-to-tracker closure** — decisions and action items from meetings land as tracked items with owners, instead of dying in notes.

## Where it lives

In the channels where the project actually happens. Ask in the project's Slack channel ("what's at risk for the 15th?"), text from your phone between meetings, or let the standing briefs arrive on schedule. Arlo carries one memory across [Notion](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-notion), Linear, email, and chat — so "the migration project" means the same thing everywhere.

## Trust and the outbound line

Internal reads and tracker updates are the safe zone, and Arlo runs them freely once you've granted access. Anything that leaves the team — the stakeholder update, the vendor chase, the customer-facing date — waits on [your approval](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) by default, and every action lands in the [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). You get relentless coordination without surprise communication.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI agent for project management actually do?** Keeps the tracker true, chases owners before deadlines slip, assembles status updates, preps standups, and surfaces blockers — across Linear, Notion, Slack, and email.

**Does it replace a project manager?** It replaces the chasing-and-assembling layer of the job. Scope calls, prioritization, and stakeholder judgment stay human — with far better information under them.

**Which tools does it work with?** Linear, Notion, Slack, Gmail and 3,000+ others — plus a secure browser session for tools with no API.

**Will it message stakeholders on its own?** No — outbound updates are drafted for your approval by default. Internal tracker updates and nudges run under the access you granted.

**What does it cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. A bigger plan is only more usage, never a locked feature.

---

# AI agent for social media — drafts, scheduling, and listening

> An AI agent for social media runs the account-management grind: drafting posts in your brand voice, keeping a content calendar full, watching mentions and competitor moves, flagging the replies worth answering, and reporting what actually performed. Arlo does this from your Slack or text thread and shows you posts it drafts before they go up.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-agent-for-social-media

Social media management is a volume job with a judgment problem. The volume: posts to draft, a calendar to fill, mentions to monitor, competitors to watch, metrics to report. The judgment: one bad post is a screenshot forever. Most tools solve volume by removing judgment — auto-posting queues, AI captions nobody reviewed. The right shape is the opposite: an agent that does all the volume work and [checks with you](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) before its own drafts go public.

## What Arlo handles

- **Drafts in your brand voice** — posts, threads, captions, variations per platform. Arlo remembers your voice, your topics, and which past posts worked; you edit taste, not grammar.
- **A calendar that stays full** — it proposes a week of content from your pipeline (launches, blog posts, customer wins), you approve the batch in one pass, and gaps get flagged before they become silence.
- **Mention and reply triage** — the support question, the angry thread, the influencer compliment: surfaced in your channel with a drafted response for each, ranked by what deserves attention.
- **Competitor and trend watch** — when a competitor's post takes off or your space starts arguing about something, you get a short note with a take — while it's still relevant.
- **Performance, translated** — not a dashboard export: "carousel posts are outperforming links 3:1 this month; here's next week's plan weighted accordingly."
- **From the thread you live in** — brief, approve, and read reports in iMessage or Slack. The agent goes to the platforms so you don't have to.

## Where the approval gate earns its keep

Public posts are irreversible in the way that matters — deletion doesn't beat screenshots. So **posts Arlo drafts come to you before they go up**, unless you tell it to just post. In practice that's a one-tap batch each morning, which costs a minute and buys you what auto-posting tools can't: certainty that a human saw it first. Every publish, edit, and reply lands in the [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) — useful the day someone asks "who approved that?" Social is usually one lane of a broader [AI marketing agent](/use-cases/ai-marketing-agent) setup — same colleague, same rules.

## Frequently asked questions

**What can an AI agent do for social media?** Draft posts in your voice, keep the calendar full, triage mentions and replies, watch competitors, and report performance in plain language — with posts it drafts shown to you before they go up.

**Will it post without my approval?** Not its own drafts, unless you tell it to just post. Posts Arlo writes come to you first, typically as a one-tap batch review. If you tell it to post something specific, it posts it and tells you.

**Which platforms does it support?** Arlo connects to major social platforms among 3,000+ integrations, and for tools without an API it can work the dashboard through a secure browser session.

**Can it handle replies and DMs?** It triages them — surfacing what matters with drafted responses — and sends a reply when you say so. The angry-customer thread always escalates to you.

**Is this a replacement for a social media manager?** It's the execution half of one. Strategy, taste, and community judgment stay human; the drafting, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting grind goes to the agent.

---

# AI assistant for agencies — every client, one colleague

> An AI assistant for agencies runs multi-client operations at team scale — keeping each client's comms, context, and data separate while a 5–20 person team shares governed access. Arlo remembers each account, drafts client updates for your approval, logs work across client tools, and keeps a per-client audit trail.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-agencies

Agencies don't run on one client's problems. They run on twelve, all at once, held apart by whoever's paying attention that day. The status update to the retail account, the dev handoff for the fintech build, the PR client who wants a recap by Friday — the work is fine. The overhead of keeping it all straight, across a team, without the wires crossing, is what wears you down. An AI assistant for agencies takes that layer off the team. [Arlo](/) runs multi-client operations across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, keeps each account separate, and shows you the client updates it writes before they go out.

This is not the solo strategy setup — that's our [AI assistant for consultants](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-consultants). An agency is multi-client and multi-person: five to twenty people sharing one operation, where one client's data must never surface in another's thread, and every account needs its own accountable record.

## Client isolation by default

The fastest way to lose a client is to leak the wrong context into their conversation. Arlo holds per-client memory that stays walled off: the retail account's roadmap never bleeds into the fintech thread, and a draft for one client is built only from that client's context. Each account has its own scope, its own connected tools, and its own history, so the assistant reasons inside one client's world at a time.

That isolation is what makes shared access safe. A 5–20 person team can all delegate to the same assistant without anyone worrying that an account manager's request pulls up another team's client data.

## Per-client context and memory

Running fifteen engagements means fifteen mental models nobody can hold at once. Arlo keeps persistent memory per account: the scope, the stakeholders, the decisions made, the deadlines, and where each thread actually stands. Every morning it posts one briefing of what moved overnight across every client — so the team walks in already knowing which accounts need attention.

When someone says "the campaign brief we sent them," Arlo already knows the client, the document, and what was last agreed. Nobody re-briefs it or scrolls back through three weeks of a Slack channel before replying.

## Client updates drafted for approval

Client-facing comms are where trust lives, and one wrong send to the wrong account costs more than it saves. So the updates Arlo writes come back to your team before they reach a client. Arlo drafts the update, the recap, the status note, and shows it to whoever asked before it goes out, unless they say to just send.

- A client asks "where are we on the launch?" and Arlo assembles the status from Linear, Notion, and GitHub, then drafts the reply for an account lead to approve.
- A weekly client roll-up gets drafted per account, ready for the owner to sign off and send.
- A rescheduling request comes in over text; Arlo proposes times against the team calendar and confirms once approved.

You're still the name on every message. Arlo does the work; your team signs off.

## Logging work across every client tool

The follow-through is the part that slips. Arlo connects to Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools, so work lands in the systems each client runs on. It opens the ticket, updates the record, logs the hours, files the recap — scoped to the right account every time.

Some client tools have no API: the legacy portal, the homegrown dashboard. Arlo can log into those once in a secure browser session and read or update them the way a person would, under the same rules and audit trail as everything else.

## Governed access across the team

When five to twenty people share an assistant, governance can't be optional. Every connection resolves through policy before a run starts, Arlo asks first on money, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone, and every account keeps its own [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) — every tool call, source, and approval on the record, per client.

| Action | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| Draft a client update | Shown to whoever asked before it goes out |
| Update a client's tool | Routed through policy, scoped to that account |
| Onboard a new client's toolset | Connected once, scoped, then available to the team |
| Every tool call and source | Logged in that client's audit trail |

That per-client record is what makes agency work accountable: if a client asks what happened on their account, there's a full trace to show them. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request for firms that need to govern the whole team.

## Onboarding a new client

Winning an account shouldn't mean a week of setup. Point Arlo at the new client's tools — their Slack, their project tracker, their inbox — each connection scoped by policy up front. From there the team delegates to it the same way they'd loop in a coworker, and the new account gets its own isolated memory and audit trail from day one.

It's the same one-colleague model behind our [AI assistant in Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack): one [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague), every surface, governed by default. Explore other setups in [use cases](/use-cases).

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI assistant do for an agency?** It runs multi-client operations at team scale — keeping each client's communications, context, and data separate while a 5–20 person team shares governed access. It remembers each account, drafts client updates for approval, logs work across client tools, and keeps a per-client audit trail.

**How does an AI assistant keep client data separate?** Client isolation is the default rather than a setting. Each engagement carries its own context and memory, and connections resolve through policy before a run, so work on one account doesn't leak into another.

**Will it send things to clients without me seeing them first?** Not the messages it writes, unless you say to just send. Arlo drafts the update and shows it to the person who asked before it reaches the client. A message you dictate and clearly ask it to send goes out, and Arlo tells you it did. See [when Arlo asks first](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending).

**Can the whole agency team use one assistant?** Yes. Arlo is added once and the team reaches it in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), WhatsApp, or iMessage — no per-person app to install. Access to each client's tools is governed rather than shared wholesale.

**Can it prove what it did on a client account?** Yes. Every tool call, source, and approval lands in a per-client [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back — which is what makes it defensible when a client asks who did what, and when.

**What happens when we onboard a new client?** You connect that client's tools and the assistant starts building context for the account from the first conversation, without mixing it into an existing engagement.

## Try Arlo

Run your whole client roster through one governed AI colleague that keeps every account separate, remembers each engagement, and shows you every client update it writes before it goes out. [Get started](/signup).

---

# AI Assistant for Compliance and Governance

> A governed AI assistant for compliance does what you clearly ask, asks first on money, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone, and records every step in a full audit trail. Arlo resolves policy per run, lets you tell it to always ask before certain actions, and exports the trail, so accountable teams can safely let AI act.

Updated: 2026-07-13 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-compliance

The thing that stops accountable teams from letting AI act isn't capability — it's not knowing what it will do, or being able to prove what it did. A governed AI assistant answers both. It asks before the actions that matter, and every action is recorded in a full audit trail. That combination — a check before, a record after — is what turns "we can't let AI touch that" into "we can, and here's the proof." [Arlo](/) is built this way: it does what you clearly ask, asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and nothing happens without a trace.

This is governance as a function, not a vertical. Whether you're in a regulated industry or just an accountability-heavy org where a wrong send is expensive, the shape is the same: a human check on consequential actions and a defensible record of every one.

## Approval where it matters

The moment an assistant can send, write, or spend, the question stops being "is it smart?" and becomes "what happens when it's wrong?" Arlo's answer: a clear request from you runs, and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when:

- **Money moves** — it would pay someone, or move or hold money.
- **There's no undo** — it would delete something that can't be restored.
- **Its words go out in your name** — a message it wrote would go to someone you know who hasn't seen it, and you didn't say to just send.
- **The request is unclear** — several options fit, it would reach someone you didn't mean, or it would go beyond what you asked.
- **The instruction isn't yours** — it came from a web page, a tool result, or anyone other than you.

Read-only work — research, summaries, drafts — flows without interruption. You can also tell Arlo to always ask before certain actions, so the check lands where your risk is. See [when Arlo asks first](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending).

## Policy resolves per run

Governance isn't a switch you flip after the fact — it shapes the run from the start. Before Arlo does anything, every tool connection resolves through policy: what it may touch and how far it can go. So the boundaries are decided up front, not discovered after an action already fired.

1. **Policy first.** Each connection resolves through policy before the run begins.
2. **Act on clear asks.** Arlo reasons, drafts, and does what you clearly asked.
3. **Ask when it matters.** Money, anything that can't be undone, anything unclear, and any action you told it to always ask about come to you first.
4. **Record it.** The action, its sources, and the approval all land in the trail.

## A full, exportable audit trail

You can't govern what you can't see. Every run produces an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail): every tool call, every source it read, every human approval, tied back to the original request. Nothing is summarized away — the record is the actual sequence of what happened and why.

| | Ungoverned AI assistant | Arlo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Consequential actions | Acts on its own | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Who decides on risky actions | No one | You |
| Policy on tools it can touch | Rare | Resolved before every run |
| Record of what happened | None | Full audit trail |
| Export for review or audit | No | Yes, on request |

That trail is what makes AI usable where accountability matters. When someone asks what the assistant did — a manager, a client, an auditor — there's a complete, exportable record to show, not a black box.

## Role-based access for accountable teams

Governance at team scale means the right people hold the right controls. The baseline runs by default for every workspace, from the first dollar — per-run policy checks, approvals on consequential actions, and the full trace. For organisations that need them on top of that, admin policy, role-based access, SSO, and audit export are available on request, so an administrator sets what the assistant may do, roles determine who can do what, and the trail exports for review.

## Governance that supports compliance workflows

Rules like the EU AI Act phasing in through 2026 increasingly expect a human check on consequential automated actions and a record that one was in place. Arlo's ask-first rules plus audit trail support that: a person's yes before money moves or anything permanent happens, and a defensible record after.

To be clear about what this is: these are governance controls that support your compliance workflows — ask-first rules and a complete audit trail — not a claim of specific certifications. Arlo gives your team a way to require a person's yes on the actions you choose, and to prove what happened. How that maps to your obligations is yours to define; Arlo makes it enforceable and recordable.

This is the [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) model with governance built in — across [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), iMessage and SMS, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, working through 3,000+ tools and no-API browser use, all under the same rules and trail. See how it fits a single workday as an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant), or browse more [use cases](/use-cases).

## Frequently asked questions

**What makes an AI assistant "governed"?** Three mechanisms working together: policy resolves each tool connection before a run begins, Arlo asks first on money, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in an exportable audit trail tied back to the original request.

**Which actions require approval and which don't?** A clear request from you runs, including a message or call that spends none of your money, and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would reach someone you didn't mean, goes beyond what you asked, would send its own wording to someone you know who hasn't seen it, moves money, deletes something that can't be restored, or came from a web page or anyone other than you. You can also tell it to always ask before certain actions.

**What happens if an approval is never answered?** It expires, and an expired approval cannot execute. The request fails closed rather than defaulting to send — so an unattended gate is a blocked action, not a silent one.

**Can I approve something once and not be asked again?** Yes, within a boundary you set. An approval can carry a standing grant scoped to a specific tool and action, with a required expiry date. The grant covers that scope until it expires or is revoked; a grant with no future expiry is rejected outright.

**When Arlo asks, do I approve or edit the action?** Approve or deny. You see the tool, the account, and a preview of what would be sent, then decides. There is no edit-in-place step — if the draft is wrong, you deny it and ask for a different one.

**Is Arlo compliant with the EU AI Act or SOC 2?** These are governance controls that support your compliance workflows — ask-first rules and a complete audit trail — not a claim of specific certifications. Rules like the EU AI Act phasing in through 2026 increasingly expect a human check on consequential automated actions and a record that one was in place. Arlo gives you the mechanism and the record; how that maps to your obligations is yours to define.

**Can we export the audit trail?** Yes. Audit export, along with admin policy, role-based access, and SSO, is available on request. Governance itself — per-run policy checks, approvals, and the full trace — runs by default for everyone, from the first dollar.

## Try Arlo

Give an assistant real reach without giving up control. Arlo asks first when it matters, and every action is on the record. [Try Arlo](/signup) and let AI act where you couldn't before.

---

# AI Assistant for Consultants

> An AI assistant for consultants runs client communication, scheduling, follow-ups, research, and deliverable drafting across iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls. It remembers each client's context, handles time-sensitive coordination, keeps client tools current, and shows you client messages it writes before they go out.

Updated: 2026-06-19 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-consultants

The billable work isn't what burns you out. It's everything around it: the reschedules, the "just circling back" emails, the prep before a strategy call, the status update buried in a client's Slack. An AI assistant for consultants takes that layer off your plate. [Arlo](/) handles client comms, scheduling, follow-ups, research, and first-draft deliverables across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls, and shows you anything it writes for a client before it goes, unless you tell it to just send.

If you run a solo practice or a small firm, you already know the bottleneck isn't how hard you work. It's how thin your attention gets spread across clients, channels, and deadlines. Arlo lives inside the tools you already use, so the coordination stops piling onto you.

## One assistant across every client channel

Clients reach you however they want. One texts your cell. One only talks in their company Slack. Another only replies on WhatsApp. A prospect calls while you're in a meeting. Normally you're the glue holding all that context together. Arlo is a single assistant across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone, so the glue isn't you anymore.

- A client texts "can we move Thursday?" and Arlo checks your calendar, proposes times, and confirms.
- A client Slack thread needs a status reply, so Arlo drafts one for you to approve.
- A call comes in while you're heads-down. Arlo can pick it up, capture the ask, and brief you after.

It's the same one-colleague model behind our [AI assistant for founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders): one memory, every surface.

## Memory of each client's context

Running ten engagements at once means keeping ten mental models from bleeding into each other. That's the part that quietly eats your week. Arlo holds persistent memory per client: scope, the people who matter, decisions made, deadlines, and where each thread actually stands. Every morning it sends a briefing of what moved overnight across all of them.

So when a client says "the migration plan we discussed," Arlo already knows the engagement, the document, and what you last agreed to. You're not re-briefing it or scrolling back through three weeks of messages before you reply.

## Client comms, scheduling, and follow-ups

Logistics is most of the overhead in this job, and it's the easiest thing to drop. Arlo runs the loops that keep slipping:

- **Scheduling.** Proposes and confirms times against your calendar, reschedules around conflicts, sends the reminders.
- **Follow-ups.** Drafts the recap after a call, chases open items, nudges a client on a pending decision before it goes cold.
- **Intake.** Turns a request that came in over text or a call into a tracked task instead of a message you'll forget by Friday.

Arlo connects to Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools, so the follow-through actually lands in the systems you run your practice on.

## Research, prep, and drafting deliverables

The prep that eats your mornings is exactly the part Arlo is good at. Have it research a client's market before a strategy session, pull recent moves from a competitor, or assemble the background for a proposal. It'll draft the meeting notes, the summary, the first pass at a deliverable. You start from an editable draft instead of a blank page.

Some client tools have no API. The legacy portals, the homegrown dashboards, the thing their ops team built in 2014. Arlo can log into those once in a secure browser session and read or update them the way a person would.

## Governed sends keep client trust intact

Consulting runs on trust, and one wrong message to the wrong client costs more than it saves. So Arlo shows you what it writes before a client sees it, and asks first on anything unclear:

| Action | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| Draft a client email | Shown to you before it goes, unless you say to just send |
| Update a client's tool | Routed through policy, done when you clearly ask |
| Make a call or send a text | Runs when you clearly ask; a text in Arlo's own words is shown to you first |
| Every tool call and source | Kept in a full audit trace |

You're still the name on every message. Arlo does the work and tells you what it did. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage; admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request for firms that need them.

## How it compares to doing it manually

| Task | Manual | With Arlo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cross-channel client comms | You context-switch all day | One assistant, one memory |
| Tracking each client's status | Spreadsheets and memory | Persistent context plus a morning briefing |
| Follow-ups after calls | Often slip | Drafted and chased for you |
| Research and prep | Hours per engagement | Pulled together on request |
| Sends and updates | Manual, every time | Done when you ask, drafts shown first |

There's related setups for [founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), [sales](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales), and [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors), plus the [glossary](/glossary/ai-colleague) and [resources](/resources) if you want to go deeper.

Running several clients under one roof rather than solo? The multi-client version — per-client context, governed access, and a separate audit trail per account — is [AI assistant for agencies](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-agencies).

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI assistant do for a consultant?** It runs client communication, scheduling, follow-ups, research, and deliverable drafting across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls — remembering each client's context, handling time-sensitive coordination, keeping client tools current, and showing you client messages it writes before they go out.

**How does it keep each client's context straight?** It holds persistent memory per engagement, so it knows the account, the deadline, and what you agreed last month without being re-briefed. Work stays scoped to the client it belongs to.

**Will it email my clients directly?** Only when you ask it to. Arlo drafts the message and shows it to you before it goes, unless you tell it to just send. That's what makes it safe to point at real client comms; see [when Arlo asks first](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending).

**Can it work in whatever channel each client uses?** Largely, yes. Arlo covers iMessage and SMS, [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), and live phone calls, with one memory across all of them — so a thread that starts as a text can finish on a call without re-explaining.

**Can it help with research and deliverables, not just admin?** Yes — sourced research, call prep, and first drafts of deliverables. Read-only work like research and drafting runs without stopping to ask, so it isn't slowed down by review.

**Is it worth it for a solo consultant?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, so the honest test costs nothing. It earns its keep when the coordination load — scheduling, follow-ups, keeping client tools current — starts eating the hours you'd rather bill.

## Try Arlo

Run your whole client roster through one governed AI colleague that remembers every engagement and works where your clients already are. [Get started](/signup).

---

# AI Assistant for Customer Support: Triage, Draft, Approve

> An AI customer support assistant triages inbound tickets, drafts a first reply for a human to approve before it sends, escalates hard threads, and logs every resolution. Arlo does this across Slack, WhatsApp, and iMessage, showing a person each reply it writes before it reaches the customer, with a full audit trail.

Updated: 2026-07-13 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-customer-support

Support teams don't need another chatbot standing between customers and answers. They need help writing the reply faster, catching the thread that's about to blow up, and keeping a clean record of what was said and by whom. An AI assistant for customer support does exactly that: it triages what's coming in, drafts the response a human signs off on, and logs the resolution so the next person isn't guessing.

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) for support work, not an autonomous bot that answers customers on its own. It reads the incoming thread, drafts the first reply, and then stops. A reply Arlo writes reaches a customer only after a person on your team has seen it, unless they tell it to just send. That check is the whole point: support is where a wrong send does real damage, so Arlo is built to draft, not to send behind your back.

## What an AI support assistant actually does

The job isn't "deflect tickets." It's clearing the busywork around each one so agents spend their time on judgment, not typing:

- **Triages inbound** by reading the message, tagging urgency, and pulling the relevant history so an agent opens the thread already oriented.
- **Drafts a first reply** grounded in your docs and past resolutions, ready for a human to edit and approve.
- **Escalates** a thread that's out of scope or getting heated, with a summary of what's happened so far.
- **Summarizes a ticket** into a few lines when someone needs to hand it off or loop in a manager.
- **Logs the resolution** so the outcome is recorded and searchable, not buried in a channel.

## Concrete support scenarios

What this looks like in a real workspace:

- A customer message lands in `#support`. Arlo summarizes the issue, checks your runbook, and posts a draft reply. An agent reads it, tweaks one line, and approves. It sends.
- A thread turns angry. Arlo flags it, writes a two-line recap of the history, and escalates to the on-call lead so nobody's re-reading twenty messages under pressure.
- A teammate asks "what's the status on the Acme refund thread?" Arlo pulls the thread, the account context, and the last action taken, and hands back a tight summary.
- End of a hard case: Arlo logs the resolution — what the customer wanted, what was done, what to watch for — so the record is there when they write back next month.

## Approvals and the audit trail

Governance is what separates a support assistant you can trust from one you can't. Arlo shows your team every reply it writes [before it reaches a customer](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending), unless they tell it to just send. It makes the tool updates you clearly ask for, and asks first on anything unclear, anything that moves money like a refund, or anything that can't be undone. And every draft, source, approval, and action lands in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail), so when compliance or a manager asks "who said what, and why," the answer is one click away instead of a reconstruction.

| Capability | In-app helpdesk AI | AI support assistant (Arlo) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Draft replies from your docs | Yes | Yes |
| Shows its drafted replies before they send | Often auto-sends | Yes, unless you say just send |
| Works across Slack and iMessage | No, one product | Yes |
| Context survives a channel switch | No | Yes, with memory |
| Full audit trail on every action | Partial | Yes |
| Acts in tools with no API (browser) | No | Yes, logs in once and clicks |

## How Arlo differs from Zendesk or Intercom AI

Be clear-eyed about this. If you live entirely inside one helpdesk, the AI baked into Zendesk or Intercom is right there and tightly wired to that product's ticket model. Arlo isn't trying to replace the helpdesk. It's a governed, cross-channel colleague that works where your team already talks — Slack, WhatsApp, iMessage — and shows a human every customer reply it writes. An in-app bot is designed to answer autonomously inside its own walls. Arlo is designed to draft, check with your team, and leave an audit trail, which is what teams that care about accountability actually want.

## Context that follows the thread

Support conversations don't stay in one place. A ticket starts in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), the lead picks it up by text, and a hard case ends on a [phone call](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls). Arlo is one assistant across iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live calls, and its memory carries the context across all of them, so nobody loses the thread when it changes channels. A morning briefing rounds up what moved overnight so the team starts the day oriented.

## Tools with and without an API

Plenty of support stacks include an internal portal or a legacy system that never shipped an API. Arlo handles those by signing in once through a secure browser session and operating them by hand — reading a record, updating a status, filling a form — under the same rules and audit trail as everything else. It connects to 3,000+ tools directly, and where no integration exists, it clicks through like a person would.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI customer support assistant do?** It triages inbound tickets, drafts a first reply for a human to approve before it sends, escalates the threads it shouldn't handle alone, and logs every resolution. Arlo does this across Slack, WhatsApp, and iMessage, showing a person each reply it writes before it sends, with a full audit trail.

**Will an AI assistant reply to customers without a human checking?** Not the replies Arlo writes, unless you tell it to just send. The draft goes to a person on your team first, and the reply reaches the customer after they say send. That's the difference between speeding your team up and letting a model talk to your customers unsupervised.

**How is this different from Zendesk or Intercom AI?** Those are AI features inside a helpdesk you already run, and they work well there. Arlo isn't a helpdesk — it's a colleague that works across the channels your team actually talks in, acts in the other tools a resolution touches, and keeps one governed record of what it did.

**What happens with a ticket it can't resolve?** It escalates rather than guessing. Hard threads route to a person with the context already gathered, so the human starts from a summarized thread instead of reading from scratch.

**Can it act in the tools a resolution actually touches?** Yes — across 3,000+ integrations, and for internal systems with no API it logs in once through a secure browser session and operates them by hand. It does the updates you clearly ask for and asks first on refunds, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone.

**Does it keep a record for quality review?** Yes. Every tool call, source, and approval lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) tied to the original ticket, so you can reconstruct exactly what was said, what was read, and who signed off.

## Try Arlo

Give your support team a colleague that triages inbound, drafts the reply, and logs the resolution — with a human seeing every reply it writes before it goes and a full audit trail behind every move. [Get started](/signup) and connect your first channel in minutes.

---

# AI assistant for e-commerce teams — ops without the tab-hopping

> An AI assistant for e-commerce runs the operational glue of a store: supplier follow-ups by email or live phone call, customer-service triage and drafts, daily numbers in one morning brief, and records kept current. Arlo does this from iMessage, Slack, or WhatsApp, works no-API portals through a secure browser session, and asks first before anything that spends money or can't be undone.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-ecommerce

Running a store is a loop of small operational jobs that never end: where's the PO, why is this SKU low, who answers the "where's my order" emails, what did we actually sell yesterday. None of it is strategy. All of it eats the day, across eight tabs — storefront, email, 3PL portal, supplier spreadsheets, ad dashboards, a chat full of pings.

An [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) built for real work collapses that loop into a text thread. You ask; it does; it reports back; and the tools stay updated as a side effect.

## What Arlo runs for a store

- **Supplier and 3PL follow-ups** — the chase is the job: the late PO, the missing tracking, the freight quote nobody answered. Arlo chases by email, and when email stalls, [it calls](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls) — then posts the outcome in your thread and updates the record.
- **Customer email triage** — refund requests, where-is-my-order, the angry one that needs you. Arlo [sorts, drafts in your brand voice, and shows you each reply before it goes](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-email), unless you tell it to just send the routine ones.
- **The morning brief** — one message: yesterday's sales, the SKUs that crossed reorder points, shipments that slipped, and the two customer threads worth your attention. Pulled from your tools while you slept.
- **Portals with no API** — half of e-commerce ops lives in supplier portals and legacy dashboards no integration covers. Arlo logs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and files the way a person would.
- **[Records as a side effect](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-data-entry)** — inventory notes, supplier threads, ticket statuses, the ops spreadsheet: updated when the work happens, not reconstructed on Friday.

## Where it lives

Where your team already talks. Text Arlo from iMessage on the warehouse floor, @mention it in the ops Slack channel, or ask on a call. One persistent memory spans every channel, so "the supplier from last month's shortage" needs no re-explaining — and the [morning brief](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-small-business) lands in whichever thread you actually read.

## Governance, because this touches customers and money

E-commerce automation has a failure mode: the bot that emailed the wrong customer, refunded the wrong order, or spammed a supplier. Arlo's answer is structural — policy checks before every run, **asking first before money moves, before anything that can't be undone, and whenever a request is unclear**, and a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) of every call, email, and change. You can tell it to always ask before certain actions, and you can always read exactly what it did.

## Frequently asked questions

**What can an AI assistant do for an e-commerce business?** Chase suppliers and 3PLs by email or live phone call, triage and draft customer email, deliver a daily numbers brief, work no-API portals through a secure browser session, and keep records updated — asking first before refunds, payments, or anything unclear.

**Does it integrate with my store stack?** Arlo connects to 3,000+ tools, and for portals with no API it operates the interface directly through a secure browser session. Check the in-product integrations list for your specific stack.

**Can it talk to customers directly?** It drafts customer replies in your brand voice and shows them to you before they go, unless you tell it to just send. Many teams tell Arlo to always ask before customer email, and let routine internal work run on clear asks.

**Can it really call a supplier?** Yes. Arlo places live calls, has the conversation, and keeps the transcript, so you can ask how it went and have it update your records.

**What does it cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Every capability, including live supplier calls, is on every plan. Admin controls, SSO, and audit export are available on request. Weigh that against the hours of ops chasing it absorbs weekly.

---

# AI assistant for email — triage, drafts, and follow-through

> An AI assistant for email triages your inbox, surfaces the few messages that need you, drafts replies in your voice, chases follow-ups that would otherwise die, and files the rest — showing you its drafts before they go, unless you tell it to just send. Arlo treats email as one channel of a colleague that can also update the CRM, ping Slack, or pick up the phone.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-email

Email is where work goes to queue. The median inbox mixes three genuinely important threads with forty that need a two-line reply, a forward, or nothing — and the owner pays a tax on all of them, every day, deciding which is which. An AI assistant for email removes that tax: it reads what arrives, surfaces what actually needs you, drafts what doesn't, and keeps the follow-ups alive that you'd otherwise lose.

The distinction that matters in 2026 is between **inbox tools** and **colleagues that handle email**. Inbox tools live inside Gmail or Outlook and stop at the inbox's edge. An [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) like Arlo treats email as one surface of a bigger job — because half of "email work" isn't email at all. The reply needs a number from the CRM. The intro needs a calendar hold. The vendor thread needs someone to just call.

## What Arlo does with your inbox

- **Triage** — reads incoming mail and sorts it into needs-you, needs-a-reply-it-can-draft, and noise. What needs you arrives as a short note in the channel you actually check: iMessage, Slack, or WhatsApp.
- **Drafts in your voice** — replies sound like you because Arlo remembers how you write, who the sender is, and what happened in the thread last month.
- **You see its drafts first** — a reply Arlo writes comes to you before it reaches someone who hasn't seen it, unless you tell it to just send. A clear "send it" goes out. See [when Arlo asks first](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending).
- **Follow-ups that don't die** — the intro you never answered, the invoice at day 30, the trial that went quiet. Arlo tracks open loops and nudges or chases on schedule.
- **Beyond the inbox** — the same request can read Gmail, update the CRM, drop a summary in Slack, and schedule the call. One colleague, 3,000+ tools, one [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail).

## A day with it

Morning: one briefing in your texts — what came in overnight, what Arlo already drafted, the two threads that genuinely need you. You reply "send 1 and 3, hold 2." Midday: a customer asks for pricing; Arlo drafts from the current sheet, you approve from your phone. Afternoon: it flags that the Hendricks invoice hit day 30 and asks whether to chase by email or just call — and if the answer is call, [it makes the call](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) and reports back. None of this required opening the inbox.

## Email tools vs an email colleague

| Capability | Inbox-only AI tools | Arlo |
|---|---|---|
| Triage + labels | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drafts in your voice | ✓ | ✓ |
| Works from iMessage/Slack | — | ✓ |
| Actions outside the inbox (CRM, docs, tickets) | — | ✓ |
| Places phone calls when email stalls | — | ✓ |
| Asks first when it matters + audit trail | Varies | ✓ |
| Persistent memory across channels | — | ✓ |

Dedicated inbox tools are good at the inbox; if that's the whole job, they're worth a look — we keep an honest map in [Fyxer alternatives](/compare/fyxer-alternatives). The case for a colleague is everything the inbox touches.

## Getting started

Connect Gmail, tell Arlo what matters ("investor threads and anything from these five domains come to me; draft the rest"), and tell it to ask before every send the first week. Trust is earned by watching the drafts. Most people let routine replies go out within days and keep Arlo asking on anything customer-facing — which is exactly how it should work.

When the inbox in question is a shared support queue rather than your own, the triage rules change — see [AI assistant for customer support](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-customer-support).

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI assistant for email?** An AI that triages your inbox, drafts replies in your voice, chases follow-ups, and files noise — ideally showing you its drafts before they go and keeping an audit trail after. Arlo does this as one channel of a broader AI colleague.

**Will it send emails without my permission?** Only what you clearly ask it to send. A reply Arlo drafts comes to you first unless you tell it to just send, and you can tell it to always ask before certain emails. Every send is logged either way.

**How is this different from Gmail's built-in AI?** Native suggestions help you write faster inside the inbox. An AI colleague works the inbox for you — from your texts or Slack — and carries tasks beyond it: records, schedules, calls.

**Can it handle more than one email account?** Arlo connects to Gmail among 3,000+ tools; for multiple accounts and other providers, check the in-product integrations list for current coverage of your setup.

**Does it work with Outlook?** Arlo connects to 3,000+ tools including major email providers; check the integrations list in the product for current coverage of your stack.

---

# AI assistant for founders: one colleague across your tools

> An AI assistant for founders is an AI colleague that works inside the tools you already use — iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls — to handle email triage, scheduling, investor and customer follow-ups, research, and cross-tool tasks. It keeps persistent memory and asks for approval before anything risky goes out.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders

An AI assistant for founders is an AI colleague that lives in the tools you already use — iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls — and handles the operational work that eats a founder's day. Email triage, scheduling, investor and customer follow-ups, research, tasks that touch four apps at once. It remembers context across conversations and asks first when it matters, like spending money or sending its own words to someone you know. You get most of what an executive assistant gives you, without the salary or the onboarding.

## The founder's real problem

Early-stage founders are the bottleneck for everything. You're doing sales, recruiting, product, and fundraising at the same time, and each one lives somewhere different: Gmail, Slack, Notion, Linear, your calendar, a CRM. No single task is the problem. It's the switching, and the follow-ups that quietly die in between.

A human EA fixes some of this. But most founders can't justify the cost or the ramp early on, and managing one is its own job. An [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) picks up the repetitive coordination right away, inside the channels you already check, with no new app to learn.

## What it actually handles

- **Email triage** — surfaces what needs you, drafts replies in your voice, ignores the rest.
- **[Scheduling](/use-cases/ai-scheduling-assistant)** — finds times, sends invites, reschedules without the back-and-forth.
- **Investor follow-ups** — tracks every conversation and nudges you before a warm intro goes cold.
- **Customer follow-ups** — chases trials, renewals, and open threads.
- **Research** — digs into a prospect or a market question and comes back with a sourced answer.
- **Cross-tool tasks** — takes one request and runs it across Gmail, Slack, Notion, Linear, and more.

## What it looks like day to day

You text from the airport: "Move my 2pm with the design candidate to Thursday and let them know." It checks your calendar, proposes a time, drafts the email, and waits for your nod.

After a pitch, you message: "Send the deck and a recap to the three angels I met today." It pulls the contacts, writes a personal note for each, and queues them for approval.

In Slack you ask where the Acme renewal stands. It reads the thread, checks the CRM record, and tells you the state and the next step.

And every morning you get a briefing of what moved overnight: new replies, calendar shifts, threads sitting on your side. You start the day already caught up instead of spending the first hour finding out what you missed.

## Connected to your whole stack

An assistant is only useful if it reaches the tools where the work actually happens. Arlo connects to Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ others. For software with no usable API, it logs in once in a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms like a person, so even the scrappy niche tool nobody integrates with is in reach.

| Job | Without an AI assistant | With an AI colleague |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Email triage | Scan a full inbox by hand | Only what needs you, drafts ready |
| Scheduling | Back-and-forth email threads | Times proposed, invites queued |
| Follow-ups | Kept in your head, often missed | Tracked and nudged automatically |
| Cross-tool tasks | Switch between five apps | One message, handled end to end |
| Daily status | Pieced together from each tool | One morning briefing |

## Asks first when it matters

Speed without a check is a liability when you're talking to investors and customers. Every connection runs through policy before each turn. A clear request runs, and Arlo asks first on money, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone. Every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full audit trace. So an investor email Arlo wrote never goes out in your name unless you said yes first or told it to just send.

## How it beats a chatbot

A chatbot is a window you have to remember to open, with no memory and no way to act. An [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) works inside your texts and Slack, remembers your context across conversations, takes real governed actions in your software, and logs everything it did. For a founder running on too little time, that's not a small upgrade.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI assistant do for a founder?** It handles the operational layer — email triage, scheduling, investor and customer follow-ups, research, and cross-tool tasks — inside iMessage and SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls. It keeps persistent memory across all of it and asks for approval before anything risky goes out.

**Do I have to learn a new app?** No. You reach it where you already are: text it, message it in Slack or WhatsApp, or call it. There's no dashboard to adopt and no new interface for the team to learn.

**How is this different from just using ChatGPT?** A chatbot answers; a colleague acts. Arlo connects to 3,000+ tools and, for software with no API, logs in once through a secure browser session and operates it directly. It also remembers context between conversations rather than starting fresh each time.

**What stops it from emailing an investor something wrong?** An email Arlo writes to an investor comes to you before it goes, unless you tell it to just send. A message you dictate and clearly ask it to send goes out, and Arlo tells you it did. Read-only work like research and prep runs uninterrupted.

**Is it affordable pre-revenue?** Yes. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, calls and bookings included, which for most founders is enough to find out whether it actually removes work. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage when you need more.

**Can it grow into a team tool later?** Yes — that's the design. The same colleague serves a team as you hire, with governed access per person and an audit trail on every action, so you don't migrate off it when you grow.

## Try Arlo

If you're a founder buried in tools and follow-ups, [Arlo](/) is one AI colleague across your whole workspace. Founders often lean on the same colleague for [sales](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) and [recruiting](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-recruiters), or compare Arlo with [Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy) and [Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) first. [Try Arlo](/signup) and hand off the operational work, with Arlo asking first when it matters so you stay in control.

---

# AI assistant for group plans — find a time and follow through

> A personal AI assistant can help a group choose a time, collect preferences and follow up on a plan. Add Arlo to the supported conversation or share the details it needs. State who may be contacted and what needs your approval. A poll result is a proposed plan; it is not a booking or a payment.

Updated: 2026-10-28 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-group-plans

A dinner plan can stall even when everyone wants to go. One person replies by email, another only has Sunday free and nobody knows who is booking. Arlo can help collect the constraints and move the plan to the next decision.

This is an example workflow, not a claim that a particular group event has been organized or booked.

## Start with one decision

Example: “Help us choose dinner next weekend. Ask this group whether Friday or Saturday after seven works. We need a quiet place near the station and a vegetarian option. Follow up once with anyone who hasn't replied. Bring the result back here; don't book or collect money.”

The request names a decision, a group, the permitted follow-up and a stopping point. It gives an assistant something more useful than “sort something out.” Our [delegation guide](/blog/how-to-delegate-everyday-tasks-to-ai) covers the same brief for other errands.

## What the assistant needs

- The participants or the group conversation you intend it to use.
- The dates, location and time zone.
- The constraints that rule an option in or out.
- Permission for the particular messages or email follow-ups you want.
- Who makes the final decision and who handles booking or payment.

Arlo's [WhatsApp](/whatsapp) and [texting](/imessage) pages explain how to reach it. Group capabilities depend on the channel and setup; confirm the group route before assuming it sees a conversation. It can use only the messages and accounts it has access to.

## Keep the result honest

A useful result distinguishes confirmed replies from missing ones. For example: “Saturday works for everyone who replied; Alex hasn't answered.” That does not mean the whole group agreed.

If someone cannot make the proposed time, ask whether to find another slot or proceed without them. An assistant should not decide who to leave out just to finish the task. Once you have a time, move to a [restaurant availability and booking check](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-restaurant-bookings).

## Private context stays private

A shared conversation is not permission to read everyone's private sessions. Private user memory is isolated by default. Moving a fact into team or company memory requires explicit governed promotion and an audit record.

For a shared plan, put the relevant constraint into the shared conversation with the person's agreement. Do not expect Arlo to disclose a private reason someone cannot attend. The same boundary matters when you use Arlo for [work and team scheduling](/use-cases/ai-that-schedules-meetings-with-multiple-people).

## Before sending invites or booking

Check the date, local time, venue, participants and any cost. A poll can establish a preferred slot, but a calendar invite, restaurant reservation and payment are separate actions. Be explicit about which ones you want Arlo to take.

Usage for messages, research and any calls comes from your plan's allowance. See [pricing](/pricing); the venue's own charges are separate.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an AI help plan dinner with friends?** Yes. Arlo can help collect preferences, run a poll and follow up on a plan through supported conversations and connected apps. It needs a clear brief and access to the intended conversation.

**Does everyone need to share a calendar?** Not necessarily. A poll or replies can establish availability without calendar access. If you want Arlo to inspect calendars or send invitations, it needs the relevant connection and authorization.

**Will it reveal what a friend said privately?** Private user sessions and memory are scoped to that user by default. A shared group does not authorize cross-user memory reads.

**Does finding a time mean the event is booked?** No. Agreeing a time, sending an invite and booking a venue are distinct steps. Check which steps actually completed.

[Start with a plan](/start), or read how an [assistant you can text and call](/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call) handles the next step.

---

# AI assistant for HubSpot — CRM updates from chat

> Arlo is an AI assistant for HubSpot that advances deals through stages, updates amounts and close dates, logs calls, emails, and notes to the right records, and answers pipeline questions from wherever you work. You ask in Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, or on a call; clear asks run, Arlo asks first when something is unclear or can't be undone, and every write lands in an audit trail.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-hubspot

A HubSpot pipeline is only as honest as the last person who bothered to update it. Deals sit in the wrong stage, amounts go stale, and the call you had Tuesday never gets logged — so the forecast the whole team reads on Friday is fiction. Arlo connects to HubSpot as an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that does the CRM hygiene for you: it moves deals, logs activity, updates properties, and answers pipeline questions from a message, so what's in HubSpot actually matches what happened.

You don't open the CRM to keep it current. You tell Arlo in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), iMessage, WhatsApp, or on a live call — "move the Acme deal to Contract Sent, $48k, closing end of month" — and it does the work in HubSpot and reports back.

## What Arlo does in HubSpot

- **Advances deals through your pipeline.** Move a deal to the next stage, update the amount, push or pull a close date, and flag deals that have gone quiet past your stall threshold.
- **Logs activity to the right record.** Record a call, log an email, or drop a timestamped note on the contact, company, or deal — with the follow-up captured so nothing slips.
- **Keeps contact and company records clean.** Update job titles, lifecycle stage, deal owner, or any custom property, and reconcile a duplicate before it splits your reporting. For bulk imports from spreadsheets and portals, there's a dedicated [AI agent for data entry](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-data-entry).
- **Manages tasks and lists.** Create a follow-up task with a due date, add a contact to an active list or sequence audience, and clear the tasks that are already done.
- **Answers forecast and pipeline questions.** "What's weighted pipeline for Q3?", "which deals slipped their close date this week?", or "who hasn't been touched in 14 days?" — Arlo reads HubSpot and hands back a tight answer.

## Real sales-ops scenarios

This is what delegating HubSpot to a colleague looks like in practice:

- You finish a discovery call. Arlo logs the call to the deal, updates the stage to Qualified, sets next steps, and drafts the recap email, which it shows you before it goes to the prospect.
- Monday standup asks "what's at risk?" Arlo pulls every open deal past its expected close date with no activity in two weeks and posts the shortlist to your sales channel.
- A prospect replies after weeks of silence. Arlo reopens the deal, updates the close date, creates a follow-up task, and drafts the reply so you're editing instead of digging.
- End of quarter, you need the number cleaned up. Arlo walks the deals stuck in early stages, flags the ones with stale amounts, and proposes the property fixes for you to confirm in one pass.

## Closing the loop across your stack

The value isn't just editing one record — it's the chain across tools. Arlo can log a deal in HubSpot, draft the follow-up email in Gmail or Outlook, and post the win to your [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) channel, all from one request. After Arlo [makes a phone call](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) on your behalf, you can ask it to log the outcome to the matching HubSpot deal. HubSpot is one of 3,000+ tools it connects to, and its [persistent memory](/glossary/ai-colleague) means a deal you discussed yesterday still has context today, plus a morning briefing of what moved in the pipeline overnight.

## Governed by default

Your CRM is too load-bearing to hand an assistant an unsupervised pen. The HubSpot connection resolves through policy before each run, the changes you clearly ask for run, Arlo [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending) (a request that's unclear, goes beyond what you asked, or deletes something that can't be restored), and every stage change, logged call, and property edit lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). If Arlo can't reach HubSpot's API for something niche, it signs in once through a secure browser session and operates the interface by hand, under the same rules and audit trail as everything else. You get a CRM that stays current without giving up control of what changes. See how this fits a whole [sales team](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales), compare [Arlo vs Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy), or browse more [use cases](/use-cases).

## Frequently asked questions

**What can an AI assistant do in HubSpot?** Advance deals through stages, update amounts and close dates, log calls, emails, and notes to the right record, clean up contact and company properties, manage tasks and lists, and answer pipeline and forecast questions — asked from Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, or a phone call.

**Will it change my CRM records without asking?** Only the changes you clearly asked for. "Move Acme to Contract Sent" just happens, and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would go beyond what you asked, or would delete something that can't be restored. You can also tell it to always ask before certain changes.

**How do I connect Arlo to HubSpot?** Connect HubSpot once from your integrations, and the connection resolves through policy before each run. It takes a couple of minutes and doesn't require a per-person install for the rest of the team.

**What if HubSpot's API doesn't cover what I need?** Arlo signs in once through a secure browser session and operates the interface by hand, under the same rules and audit trail as an API call. So niche screens that were never exposed to the API are still reachable.

**Can it work across HubSpot and my other tools in one request?** Yes. It can log the deal in HubSpot, draft the follow-up in Gmail or Outlook, and post the win to your [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) channel from a single ask. After it [makes a call](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) for you, you can ask it to log the outcome to the matching deal.

**Can I see what it changed in HubSpot?** Yes. Every stage change, logged call, and property edit lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) tied to the request that caused it.

## Try Arlo with HubSpot

Put an AI colleague on your HubSpot pipeline that advances deals, logs activity, and answers forecast questions on request — with an audit trail on every write. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. [Get started](/signup) and connect HubSpot in a couple of minutes.

---

# AI assistant for Linear — issues and standups from chat

> Arlo is an AI assistant for Linear that files and triages issues, sets labels, priority, and assignees, links issues to PRs, and summarizes what shipped this cycle — from wherever you work. You ask in Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, or on a call; clear asks run, Arlo asks first when something is unclear or can't be undone, and every write lands in an audit trail.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-linear

Linear is where the engineering work is tracked, but the tracking itself is friction — filing the issue, tagging it, dropping it in the right project, and keeping status honest through the cycle. Bugs get reported in a Slack thread and die there. Arlo connects to Linear as an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that handles the overhead: it turns a message into a well-formed issue, triages the backlog, keeps priorities straight, and tells you what actually shipped — without you tabbing over to the board.

You describe the work in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), iMessage, WhatsApp, or on a call — "file a P1 for the checkout 500, assign it to me, tag it auth" — and Arlo creates it in Linear and reports back.

## What Arlo does in Linear

- **Files issues from context.** Turn a bug report in a Slack thread into an issue with a clear title, reproduction steps, description, labels, and the right project — no copy-paste, no lost detail.
- **Triages the backlog.** Set priority, assign an owner, apply labels, move an issue to the right team or project, and close duplicates so triage doesn't rot.
- **Plans and runs cycles.** Pull unestimated issues into the current cycle, flag work that won't fit the sprint, surface issues with no assignee, and rebalance load across the team.
- **Links issues to code.** Connect an issue to its GitHub PR, update status when the PR merges, cross-reference related issues, and keep the "in progress → in review → done" flow honest instead of manual.
- **Summarizes for standups and reviews.** "What shipped this cycle?", "what's blocked?", or "what changed on the launch project since Friday?" — Arlo reads Linear and hands back a tight rollup.

## Real engineering-team scenarios

What delegating Linear to a colleague looks like day to day:

- A customer bug lands in `#support`. You mention Arlo; it opens a Linear issue with the repro steps from the thread, tags it, sets priority, drops it in the right project, and links back to the conversation, then tells you what it filed.
- Cycle planning Monday. Arlo lists every unestimated issue in the backlog, flags the three that clearly won't fit this sprint's capacity, and proposes what to pull in, so planning is editing a draft instead of staring at the board.
- Every weekday at 9am, Arlo posts a standup summary to `#engineering`: what moved to Done since yesterday, what's in review, and which P1s are still open — you approve the format once and it runs on its own.
- A PR merges. Arlo moves the linked issue to Done, updates the cycle burndown context, and notes it in the shipped list so the cycle review writes itself.
- A stakeholder wants a status update. You ask on a call; Arlo reads the project, tells you which milestones are on track and which are slipping, and offers to file the follow-up issues right there.

## Working across your stack

The point isn't one issue — it's the chain. Arlo can open a Linear issue, comment on the matching GitHub PR, and post the update to [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) in a single request, because it's one assistant across the whole toolchain of 3,000+ integrations. Its [persistent memory](/glossary/ai-colleague) means an issue you discussed yesterday still has context today, and the morning briefing tells you what changed in your cycles and projects overnight, wherever you read it.

## Governed by default

An assistant reshuffling your board on its own is a nightmare, so Arlo only changes what you ask for. The Linear connection resolves through policy before a run, clear asks run and Arlo [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending) (a request that's unclear, goes beyond what you asked, or deletes something that can't be restored), and every status change, label edit, and assignment lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). For anything Linear's API doesn't expose, Arlo signs in once through a secure browser session and operates the interface by hand, under the same rules. You get fast issue hygiene without ceding control of the sprint. Compare [Arlo vs Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy), or browse more [use cases](/use-cases).

If the problem is less about the tracker and more about the chasing around it — status nobody updated, cross-team dependencies, the standup that became a meeting — see [AI agent for project management](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-project-management).

## Frequently asked questions

**What can an AI assistant do in Linear?** File issues from context with repro steps and labels, triage the backlog by setting priority, assignee, and project, plan and rebalance cycles, link issues to their GitHub PRs, and summarize what shipped, what's blocked, and what changed — asked from Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, or a call.

**Can it turn a Slack thread into a Linear issue?** Yes — that's one of the most common uses. Mention Arlo in the thread and it opens an issue with the reproduction steps carried over, tags it, sets priority, drops it in the right project, and links back to the conversation.

**Will it change issues without approval?** Only the changes you clearly asked for. "File a P1 and assign it to me" just happens, and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would go beyond what you asked, or would delete something that can't be restored. You can also tell it to always ask before certain changes.

**Can it post our standup automatically?** Yes. It can post a daily summary to your engineering channel — what moved to Done, what's in review, which P1s are still open. You approve the format once and it runs on a schedule.

**Does it keep Linear in sync with GitHub?** It can connect an issue to its PR and move the issue's status when the PR merges, so the "in progress → in review → done" flow stops being manual.

**Can I see everything it changed?** Yes. Every issue write and status change lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) tied to the request that caused it.

## Try Arlo with Linear

Put an AI colleague on your Linear workspace that files issues, triages the backlog, plans cycles, and writes your standup — with an audit trail on every write. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. [Get started](/signup) and connect Linear in a couple of minutes.

---

# AI assistant for Notion — meetings into databases

> Arlo is an AI assistant for Notion that turns meeting notes into database rows, updates properties, relations, and rollups, drafts and edits pages, and retrieves decisions from your wiki — from wherever you work. You ask in Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, or on a call; clear asks run, Arlo asks first when something is unclear or can't be undone, and every write lands in an audit trail.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-notion

Notion holds the team's knowledge, but knowledge only helps if someone keeps it filed and can find it later. Meeting notes never make it into the tracker, database properties go half-filled, and "what did we decide about pricing?" turns into ten minutes of scrolling. Arlo connects to Notion as an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that maintains the workspace for you: it files notes as structured rows, updates properties and relations, retrieves decisions from your wiki, and drafts pages — all from wherever you already talk to it.

You don't open a tab and click around. You ask Arlo in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), iMessage, WhatsApp, or on a call — "add this call to the CRM database" or "what did we decide in the Q3 planning doc?" — and it acts in Notion and reports back.

## What Arlo does in Notion

- **Turns meetings and messages into database rows.** File a meeting's notes as a new row in your meetings or projects database, with the right properties set — owner, status, date, related project — instead of a loose page nobody finds.
- **Updates properties, relations, and rollups.** Change a status select, set a date, link a row to its parent project via a relation, and let the rollups recompute — so your dashboards stay accurate without manual reconciliation.
- **Retrieves decisions and knowledge.** Ask a question and Arlo pulls the answer from the right page or database in your wiki, with a link to the source — "what's our refund policy?", "who owns the launch?", "what did we decide about pricing?"
- **Drafts and edits pages.** Write a spec, a PRD, or a doc from a template, update an existing page, or restructure a wiki section. If you asked to see a draft first, Arlo shows it before it saves.
- **Manages databases and pipelines.** Add items to a tracker, advance a task through a status board, filter a database for what's overdue, and keep the workspace tidy.

## Real knowledge-management scenarios

What delegating Notion to a colleague looks like in practice:

- A meeting wraps. Arlo takes the notes, creates a row in your meetings database with attendees, decisions, and action items as properties, links it to the related project, adds the follow-up tasks, and tells you what it filed.
- Someone new asks "how do we handle refunds?" Arlo searches the wiki, finds the policy page, and answers with a direct quote and a link, instead of the person guessing or interrupting a teammate.
- You're spinning up a project. Arlo duplicates your project template, fills in the title, owner, and timeline properties, sets the relation to the parent initiative, and seeds the sub-pages so the workspace is ready instead of blank.
- Quarterly cleanup. Arlo scans a database for rows with empty status or stale dates, flags the ones that break your rollups, and proposes the fixes for you to confirm in a single pass.

## Working across your stack

The value compounds when Notion isn't the only tool. Arlo can pull a decision from a Notion doc, file the resulting Linear issue, and draft the email — in one request — because it's one assistant across 3,000+ tools. A decision made in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack) or on a [phone call](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) can land in the right Notion page automatically. Its [persistent memory](/glossary/ai-colleague) means context carries across conversations, and the morning briefing surfaces what changed in your workspace overnight, wherever you read it.

## Governed by default

Arlo doesn't get free rein over your wiki. The Notion connection resolves through policy before each run, the changes you clearly ask for run, Arlo [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending) (a request that's unclear, goes beyond what you asked, or deletes something that can't be restored), and every read and write lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). For the internal tools that never shipped an API, Arlo signs in once through a secure browser session and operates them by hand, under the same rules. You get a colleague in your workspace without surrendering control of what changes. Browse more [use cases](/use-cases), or see how Arlo works [in Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack).

## Frequently asked questions

**What can an AI assistant do in Notion?** Turn meetings and messages into database rows with the right properties set, update properties, relations, and rollups, retrieve decisions from your wiki with a link to the source, draft and edit pages, and keep trackers and status boards current — asked from Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, or a call.

**Can it answer questions from our Notion wiki?** Yes. Ask something like "what's our refund policy?" or "what did we decide about pricing?" and it pulls the answer from the right page or database and cites the source page, rather than guessing or paraphrasing from memory.

**Will it edit pages without me seeing the change first?** Only the edits you clearly asked for, and it tells you what it changed. If you ask to see a draft first, it shows you before it saves. It asks first when a request is unclear, would go beyond what you asked, or would delete something that can't be restored. You can also tell it to always ask before certain edits.

**Can it file meeting notes into the right database automatically?** Yes — it creates the row with attendees, decisions, and action items as properties, links it to the related project via a relation, and adds the follow-up tasks, then tells you what it filed.

**Will its updates break my rollups?** It's built to avoid that — it sets relations and properties so rollups recompute correctly, and during cleanup it can scan a database for rows with empty status or stale dates and propose the fixes for you to confirm in one pass.

**Can I see what it changed in Notion?** Yes. Every property update, new row, and page edit lands in a [full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) tied to the request that caused it.

## Try Arlo with Notion

Put an AI colleague on your Notion workspace that files meetings as rows, retrieves decisions, and keeps databases current — with an audit trail on every write. Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. [Get started](/signup) and connect Notion in a couple of minutes.

---

# AI Assistant for Real Estate Agents and Realtors

> An AI assistant for realtors handles lead response, showing scheduling, follow-ups, and CRM updates over the channels agents actually use: iMessage, SMS, and live phone calls. Arlo replies to leads in seconds, books showings, and updates your tools by logging in through a secure browser, even ones with no API.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors

An AI assistant for realtors handles the work that doesn't fit between appointments: answering leads, booking showings, chasing follow-ups, and keeping the CRM current. The catch is that real estate doesn't happen at a desk, so the assistant has to meet you where the deal happens. Arlo works inside iMessage, SMS, and live phone calls. It can answer a new lead in seconds while you're mid-showing, then log the result in your tools once you're free.

Real estate is a speed business. A lead that waits an hour for a reply has usually already texted three other agents. Meanwhile the busywork stacks up between appointments until you're doing CRM entry at 11pm. An [AI personal assistant](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant) built for this rhythm closes those gaps without you opening another app.

## Respond to leads in seconds, by text

Most leads land when you're nowhere near a keyboard. Arlo catches new inquiries and replies over text right away. It answers the obvious first questions, qualifies how serious the person is, and pins down what they're actually looking for. The whole thing happens over iMessage and SMS, where buyers and sellers already are, not behind some portal they have to log into.

You set the rules. Arlo can send replies on its own, or draft them and wait for your sign-off, so the tone and any commitments match how you run your business.

## Schedule showings without the back-and-forth

Booking one showing can mean a dozen messages bouncing between the buyer, the seller, and your calendar. Arlo runs that coordination for you:

- Proposes times that fit your calendar and the listing's availability
- Confirms with the buyer over text and holds the slot
- Sends reminders before the appointment, so fewer no-shows
- Reschedules when plans change and tells everyone involved

It remembers the whole thread. So when a buyer texts "can we move it to Saturday?" four days later, Arlo already knows which showing they mean.

## Keep follow-ups from slipping

Deals get won in the follow-up. The check-in after a showing, the nudge on a stalled offer, the note three months after closing that turns into a referral. These are the easiest things to forget and the most expensive to drop. Arlo tracks them and brings them to you in a morning briefing of what changed and what needs you — the same pattern as [an AI assistant that follows up for you](/use-cases/ai-assistant-that-follows-up-for-you), applied to a pipeline.

| Task | Without an AI assistant | With Arlo |
|------|------------------------|-----------|
| New lead reply | Minutes to hours later | Seconds, by text |
| Showing scheduling | Manual back-and-forth | Coordinated and confirmed |
| Post-showing follow-up | Easy to forget | Tracked and surfaced |
| CRM updates | Done late or skipped | Logged automatically |

## Update your CRM, even one with no API

Plenty of real estate CRMs and MLS systems have no usable API. That's the real reason so much data entry stays manual. Arlo gets around it by using these tools the way you do. It logs in once through a secure browser session, then clicks, reads, and fills forms like a person would. After a showing or a call, it updates the contact record, logs the activity, and moves the deal stage. You don't touch the keyboard.

All of that runs under governance. Connections resolve through policy before each run, you can tell Arlo to always ask before certain changes, and every click, source, and approval lands in an audit trace you can go back and read.

## Coordinate over calls while you're on the move

Realtors live on the phone, so Arlo does too. It can place live calls to confirm an appointment or pass along a message, then keep the transcript so you can ask how it went. Pair that with text and a lead can go from first contact to a booked showing without you stopping the car.

## Why text and calls matter here

A tool that only lives in a web dashboard asks you to change how you work, and most agents won't. Arlo fits the way real estate already runs: fast replies by text, decisions made on the phone, systems updated quietly in the background. It connects to the apps you already use plus the 3,000+ tools available through integrations, and reaches the holdouts with no API through a browser session.

What you get is one [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) covering the stretch between a lead arriving and a deal closing. It's there when you can't be, and it keeps a record of everything it did.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI assistant do for a real estate agent?** It handles lead response, showing scheduling, follow-ups, and CRM updates over the channels agents actually use — iMessage, SMS, and live phone calls. It replies to new leads in seconds, books showings, and keeps your tools current.

**Can it reply to leads by text?** Yes, and that's the point — speed of first response is what wins the lead. It answers over iMessage and SMS in seconds rather than whenever you next check your phone.

**Will it text a client something I haven't seen?** Not unless you tell it to. It drafts the reply in your voice right away and shows it to you before it goes to a client who hasn't seen it, so you're approving rather than composing. If you tell it to just send, or to answer new leads on its own, it does, and tells you what it sent.

**Can it update my CRM if my CRM has no API?** Yes. For tools that never exposed an API, it signs in once through a secure browser session and clicks, reads, and fills forms the way you would — which covers a lot of real-estate software.

**Can it handle phone calls?** Yes. It [places calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) and keeps a transcript of each one, which is useful when you're driving between showings and can't type.

**Does it work for a solo agent or only a brokerage?** Both. A solo agent starts free with $10 of usage a month and moves to Plus at $20 a month when the work grows; the audit trail and "always ask first" rules matter more once a brokerage has several agents acting under one name.

## Try Arlo

If lead response, scheduling, and CRM updates are eating your day, hand them off. Weighing tools? Compare [Arlo vs. Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke), or see the [AI assistant for sales](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) playbook. [Try Arlo](/signup) and put it to work on your pipeline.

---

# AI assistant for recruiters — outreach and scheduling

> An AI assistant for recruiters handles candidate outreach and replies over text, books interviews, runs follow-ups, and updates your ATS or CRM. Arlo works in iMessage, SMS, Slack, and on live calls, updates no-API tools through secure browser sessions, and shows you messages it drafted before they go to a candidate, unless you tell it to just send.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-recruiters

The first recruiter to reply usually gets the candidate. The one who sends a sloppy message usually loses them. That's the whole job in two sentences, and it's why an AI assistant has to be fast on the draft and careful on the send. [Arlo](/) drafts quickly in your voice and shows you the message before it reaches a candidate, unless you tell it to just send. It runs inside iMessage, SMS, Slack, and live phone calls, so you're not logging into one more dashboard to do it.

## Move first on candidate outreach

Good candidates answer whoever texts them first. Arlo writes the first-touch message from a role brief and the candidate's background, and it replies to inbound texts while you're stuck in an interview or away from your desk.

It holds a consistent voice across dozens of live threads, which matters more than it sounds when you're running forty conversations at once and half of them blur together. And because it works over [iMessage and SMS](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant), candidates get a real text, not a link to a portal they'll never log into.

## Schedule interviews without the back-and-forth

Coordinating a candidate, a hiring manager, and sometimes a four-person panel is the time sink everyone underestimates. Arlo proposes times that fit the hiring team's calendar, confirms with the candidate over text, and books the slot. It handles reschedules and reminders on the same thread, and it does the time-zone math so a candidate in Berlin never gets an invite set to your local clock.

## Follow up so no candidate goes dark

Pipelines leak at the follow-up stage, almost always. Arlo keeps persistent memory on every candidate and nudges at the right moment: a check-in after an interview, a re-engagement text to someone who went quiet three weeks ago, the reply routed straight back to you. Every morning it sends a briefing of what moved across your pipeline overnight, so the first thing you read isn't a cold inbox.

## Update the ATS, even one with no API

Data entry eats hours, and the worst culprits are the old applicant-tracking systems that never shipped a usable integration. Arlo logs in once through a secure browser session and works the screen like a person would: clicking, reading, filling forms.

- Move candidates between stages and log interview notes.
- Update the CRM after a call so the record matches what actually happened.
- Reach across the 3,000+ tools Arlo connects to, plus any web app behind a login.

## Drafts first, where it matters

Candidate communication is reputation-critical. When Arlo writes a message in its own words to a candidate who hasn't seen it, it shows you first, unless you've told it to just send. Clear asks, like "move her to onsite," run and Arlo tells you what it did. Policy is set per run, and every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full audit trace you can pull up later.

| Task | Arlo drafts | You approve | Channel |
|------|-------------|-------------|---------|
| First-touch outreach | Yes | Yes, unless you say just send | iMessage / SMS |
| Interview confirmation | Yes | Optional | iMessage / SMS |
| ATS stage update | Yes | Not when you asked clearly | Secure browser |
| Post-call recap to manager | Yes | Optional | Slack |

## Prep for calls and recruit on the move

Arlo can join a live phone call and brief you before one. Text it from Slack or your phone between meetings: "what's the latest with the senior backend candidate?" You get a grounded answer pulled from memory and your connected tools, not a guess. It captures call outcomes and next steps so you're not typing up notes afterward, and the whole thing feels like texting a coworker who already did the reading.

Recruiting and sales run the same play: fast, personal, high-volume outreach with a clean handoff. If your team does both, the [AI assistant for sales](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales) page covers the pipeline side, and the [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) glossary explains how Arlo fits across a team. More in [resources](/resources).

Hiring doesn't end at the offer. For onboarding, policy questions, and the people-ops ticket queue that follows, see [AI HR agent](/use-cases/ai-hr-agent).

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI assistant do for a recruiter?** It handles candidate outreach and replies over text, books interviews, runs the follow-ups that otherwise slip, and updates your ATS or CRM. Arlo works in iMessage and SMS, Slack, and on live calls, and reaches no-API tools through a secure browser session.

**Will it message candidates without my approval?** Only when you clearly told it to. When Arlo writes a message in its own words to a candidate, it shows you the draft first unless you've said to just send. That matters more in recruiting than most functions, because a clumsy automated message to a candidate costs you the candidate.

**Can it text candidates rather than email them?** Yes, over iMessage and SMS, which is where response rates actually are. Speed of first contact is the main advantage — it can reply within seconds of a candidate responding.

**Can it update our ATS if there's no API?** Yes. For an ATS that never shipped an API, it signs in once through a secure browser session and updates records by hand, under the same rules and audit trail as an API call.

**Can it schedule interviews across several calendars?** Yes — it handles the back-and-forth of finding a slot that works and books it, instead of you brokering times between a candidate and a hiring panel.

**Does it help with call prep?** Yes. It can pull together the candidate's background and the role context before a screen, and it can join you on the move via [phone calls](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls).

## Try Arlo

Put an AI colleague on your recruiting pipeline. It texts candidates, books interviews, and updates your ATS, and shows you its drafts before they reach a candidate. [Get started](/signup).

---

# AI assistant for restaurant bookings — what to ask and confirm

> A personal AI assistant can research restaurants, check availability by website or phone, and help arrange a table. Give Arlo the date, party size, area, budget and dietary or access needs. Ask for options before committing. A suggested restaurant or an unanswered call is not a confirmed reservation.

Updated: 2026-10-28 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-restaurant-bookings

Finding a restaurant is easy until six people need the same evening, one needs step-free access and someone cannot eat gluten. An assistant is useful when it checks those details and follows through on the availability question.

Arlo is a personal AI assistant you can reach in [iMessage](/imessage) or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp). It can research options, use connected websites and [call a restaurant](/phone). This guide describes how to ask; it is not a report of a completed customer booking.

## A useful restaurant request

Example: “Find a table for six near Trastevere this Saturday, between 7 and 8 pm. One person is vegan and one needs step-free access. Keep the menu around €40 each. Check availability and send me two options. Don't book or agree to a deposit yet.”

That gives Arlo the outcome, constraints and stopping point. If your date or location is ambiguous, it needs to ask before making assumptions.

| Detail | What to specify |
| --- | --- |
| Time | Date, local time and acceptable alternatives |
| People | Party size, including children if relevant |
| Area | Neighbourhood and how far you will travel |
| Budget | Per person or total; whether drinks are included |
| Requirements | Dietary needs, allergies, access and seating |
| Authority | Research only, ask before booking, and any permitted deposit |

## What Arlo can check

Arlo can compare published menus and booking options, then use a website or phone call to ask about the details that remain. A menu label is not confirmation that a kitchen can safely accommodate an allergy. Ask for direct confirmation from the restaurant when the requirement affects whether someone can eat there.

Availability can change between research and checkout. A blocked slot, failed login or unanswered call may leave the task incomplete. The useful result identifies the options checked and the blocker, rather than presenting a reservation that has not happened.

## Before you confirm

Check the venue, date, local time, party size and name on the reservation. Read the deposit and cancellation terms, and confirm any charge before allowing it. After booking, ask for the confirmation reference or the restaurant's confirmation message.

“Found two suitable places” means research is complete. “Called but no answer” means the availability check is incomplete. “Confirmed for six at 7:30, with reference…” is the kind of evidence to look for after a successful reservation. These are example outcome formats, not actual booking receipts.

## When the group has not agreed on a time

Start with [group planning](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-group-plans), then hand off the booking. Finding a table before anyone has chosen a date can create more work than it saves. The [delegation guide](/blog/how-to-delegate-everyday-tasks-to-ai) shows how to separate research from a commitment.

## Cost and availability

Research, website actions and calls use your Arlo allowance. Check [current pricing](/pricing), including talking and hold time, before a long task. A subscription does not include the restaurant's own deposit or meal price. If a call is needed, confirm that Arlo can reach that destination; a supported messaging channel does not establish calling coverage.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can Arlo book a restaurant for me?** Arlo can research options, check a website or call about availability, and help arrange the reservation with the access and approval needed. The task is complete only when the restaurant or booking system confirms it.

**Can it check dietary and access needs?** Yes. Include the specific requirement in your request and ask for direct confirmation where needed. An online menu alone does not establish that an allergy or access requirement can be accommodated.

**Will it pay a deposit without asking?** Spending money needs your authorization. State whether a deposit is allowed and ask to review its amount and cancellation terms before committing.

**Do I need to connect my email first?** Connect an account only if the task needs it. Researching options does not automatically require inbox access; using a reservation account or retrieving a confirmation may require a connection.

[Ask Arlo about a table](/start), or first compare [personal assistants you can text](/compare/best-ai-assistants-you-can-text).

---

# AI assistant for sales teams

> An AI assistant for sales works inside your reps' chat, email, and calls to follow up on leads fast, log CRM activity, draft outreach, book meetings, and research prospects before calls. It takes real actions through governed tool access, so managers get speed plus an audit trail of every send.

Updated: 2026-06-19 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales

An AI assistant for sales lives in the tools your reps already use — iMessage, SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and live phone calls — and does the work that surrounds a deal. It replies to leads, keeps the CRM honest, drafts outreach, books meetings, and reads up on a prospect before a call. The part managers care about: a rep's clear asks run, outreach Arlo wrote is shown to the rep before it reaches a prospect, and every action lands in a full audit trace.

Reps don't lose deals because they're bad at selling. They lose them to slow follow-up, a CRM that's half-updated, and an hour of admin a day that should have been selling time. [Arlo](/) does that work from the same thread a rep is already texting in, so they don't have to stop and switch apps.

This guide covers rolling the assistant out across a sales team. For the pipeline-mechanics view — follow-up cadences, CRM hygiene, draft-first outreach deal by deal — see the companion [AI sales agent](/use-cases/ai-sales-agent) guide.

## What an AI assistant does for sales reps

The repetitive, time-sensitive stuff around every deal:

- **Lead follow-up speed** — drafts the first reply to a new inbound in seconds, then either nudges the rep to send or sends once approved.
- **CRM logging** — turns a quick text into notes, call outcomes, and next steps written straight to the record.
- **Outreach** — writes emails and messages grounded in the prospect's context and your past conversations, not a generic template.
- **Scheduling** — proposes times, books the meeting, and handles the inevitable reschedule.
- **Pre-call prep** — pulls account history, recent news, and open threads so nobody walks in cold.
- **Deal momentum** — flags deals that have gone quiet and reminds reps of what they promised.

## Realistic scenarios

A lead fills out a form at 9 p.m. Arlo drafts a tailored reply and queues it. The rep taps approve from the couch, and the lead hears back before a competitor wakes up.

A rep texts a two-line summary after a discovery call. Arlo logs it, moves the deal stage, and files the follow-up task. No CRM tab opened.

It's the morning of a renewal call. Arlo has already sent a briefing: the account's history, last quarter's usage, and the three questions left hanging in the last thread.

A deal has been silent for ten days. Arlo notices, flags it, and drafts a re-engagement message for the rep to look over.

## Governance built for sales managers

Speed without oversight is how the wrong message reaches the wrong account, and in sales that costs real money. Arlo is built so you keep the reins.

- **Asks first when it matters** — when Arlo writes outreach in its own words, the rep sees it before it goes, unless they said to just send. A clear ask like "log the call and move it to Proposal" runs. Arlo asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and reps can tell it to always ask before certain actions.
- **Policy on every run** — each tool connection resolves through policy before the assistant acts.
- **Full audit trace** — every tool call, data source, and approval is logged, so you can see what was sent, to whom, and why.

So you can hand reps an AI assistant without losing sight of what goes out under the team's name.

## AI assistant vs. doing it manually

| Task | Manual | With an AI assistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New lead reply | Minutes to hours, if remembered | Drafted in seconds, sent on approval |
| CRM logging | Skipped or batched late | Logged from a quick text |
| Call prep | Ad-hoc, time permitting | Briefing ready before the call |
| Stalled deals | Caught on a pipeline review | Surfaced proactively |
| Manager visibility | Spot checks | Full audit trace of every action |

## How it connects to your sales stack

Arlo plugs into Slack, Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools. For the sales systems that don't have a clean API — and there are always a few — it logs in once through a secure browser session and reads records, fills forms, and updates fields the way a person would. The CRM you already run stays in scope.

Memory is what makes it feel like an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) rather than a macro. Arlo remembers accounts, past conversations, and commitments, and sends a morning briefing of what moved overnight.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI assistant do for a sales team?** It works inside your reps' chat, email, and calls to follow up on leads fast, log CRM activity, draft outreach, book meetings, and research prospects before calls — taking real actions through governed tool access rather than just suggesting them.

**How does a sales manager keep control of what reps' assistants send?** Arlo does what each rep clearly asks, shows them outreach it drafted before it goes, and asks first on money or anything unclear. Every action lands in an audit trail tied to the rep and the request. Managers get the speed without losing the record of what went out in the company's name.

**Will it keep the CRM honest?** That's one of its better uses — logging calls, emails, and notes to the right record automatically, so pipeline data reflects what actually happened instead of what a rep remembered to enter on Friday. It works with [HubSpot](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-hubspot) and 3,000+ other tools.

**Can it respond to inbound leads quickly?** Yes — it drafts and, once approved, sends the first reply in seconds rather than hours. For inbound speed-to-lead, that gap is usually the whole game.

**Can it research a prospect before a call?** Yes. It pulls together account context and recent activity ahead of a meeting, and after a [call it places or takes](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) it can log the outcome to the matching deal when you ask.

**How is this different from a sales-engagement platform?** Sequencers execute a defined cadence at volume. Arlo reasons per request, handles the ad-hoc and cross-tool work around the cadence, and asks first on the steps that matter. Many teams run both — see [AI assistant vs workflow automation](/compare/ai-assistant-vs-workflow-automation).

## Try Arlo

Founders and revenue leaders setting up their first AI hire can start with the [AI assistant for founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders) use case, then roll it out to the team. Comparing options? See [Arlo vs. Lindy](/compare/arlo-vs-lindy), or how the same colleague works for [recruiters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-recruiters). Ready to put one to work on your pipeline? [Try Arlo](/signup).

---

# AI assistant for small business owners — one hire, every hat

> An AI assistant for a small business absorbs the owner's coordination load: answering and placing phone calls, triaging the inbox, chasing invoices and quotes, keeping the calendar honest, and updating records. Arlo does this from iMessage, SMS, Slack, or a phone call — no new software to learn — and shows you its drafts before they reach a customer, unless you say just send.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-small-business

In a small business the org chart is a lie: whatever the titles say, the owner is also the receptionist, the collections department, the scheduler, and the person who answers "quick questions" at 9pm. None of those jobs is hard. Together they're a second shift, and they're why the actual work — the thing the business sells — gets squeezed into the gaps.

That second shift is exactly what an AI assistant should take. Not "AI transformation," not a dashboard, not another app your team ignores: a colleague you text like a person, that makes phone calls for you, chases the money, keeps the calendar, and asks before its own words go out under your name.

## The jobs Arlo takes off an owner

- **The phone** — Arlo [places real calls](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls): confirms appointments, chases suppliers, asks the questions you'd otherwise spend an afternoon on hold for. The missed-call-while-on-a-job problem stops costing you customers.
- **The inbox** — [triage, drafts in your voice, and follow-ups that don't die](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-email). You see the three emails that matter; the other forty get handled.
- **[The money chase](/use-cases/ai-finance-agent)** — quotes that went quiet, invoices at day 30, the deposit that never landed. Arlo tracks the open loops and chases by email or by phone, politely and on schedule.
- **The calendar** — bookings, reschedules, and reminders handled by text, with customer no-shows cut by confirmation calls the day before.
- **The records** — whatever you use — spreadsheets, a CRM, QuickBooks-adjacent tools among 3,000+ integrations — Arlo keeps it updated as a side effect of the work, not a Friday chore. Even software with no API works: Arlo logs in once through a secure browser session and uses it like a person.

## Why texting is the right interface for a small business

Nobody in a five-person company wants to learn software. Everyone already texts. Arlo lives in iMessage and SMS (plus Slack and WhatsApp if you use them), so "adopting AI" means saving a contact. You text it the way you'd text a sharp office manager — "push my 2pm, chase the Ramirez quote, and what did the roofer say?" — and it answers in the same thread, with one memory across every channel, so you never re-explain your business.

## Trust, in writing

The reason owners don't delegate is that mistakes land on them personally. Arlo is built for that reality: **when you ask clearly, it does it and tells you what it did.** It shows you an email it wrote before it goes to a customer who hasn't seen it, unless you say to just send, and it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. You can tell it to always ask before certain actions. And everything it does lands in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail): the call it made, the email it sent, what it changed and why. Delegation without the flinch.

The math is blunt: Arlo is free to start, and Plus is $20 a month for $100 of texting, calling and chasing — against ten-plus hours of owner time a week returned. It's the cheapest hire you'll ever make, and the only one that never calls in sick.

Two neighbouring versions of this page go deeper by shape of business: [AI assistant for e-commerce](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-ecommerce) for stores juggling suppliers, 3PLs, and customer email, and [AI operations agent](/use-cases/ai-operations-agent) for the recurring work that has to happen again next week.

## Frequently asked questions

**What can an AI assistant actually do for a small business?** Place phone calls, triage email, draft replies, chase quotes and invoices, manage bookings and reminders, and keep your records updated across your tools. It shows you its drafts before they reach a customer and asks before any money moves.

**Do I need to install new software?** No. Arlo works over iMessage and SMS — you text it like a person. Slack, WhatsApp, and phone calls work too. Your existing tools stay; Arlo connects to them.

**Can it answer my business line?** No. Arlo places calls for you, like confirmations and follow-ups, and keeps a transcript of each one you can ask about, and you can call it yourself to hand it a task. It doesn't answer or screen your customers' calls; for that, use an answering service.

**Will it send things to customers without me seeing them?** Not unless you tell it to. When Arlo writes a message to a customer in its own words, it shows you first, unless you say to just send. A clear ask like "text Maria that we're running 20 minutes late" just goes, and Arlo tells you it did. You can also tell it to always ask before certain kinds of messages.

**What does it cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Phone calls and everything else are on every plan: a call costs 25¢ a minute of talking, and about 1.5¢ a minute on hold. Admin policy, roles, SSO, and audit export are available on request.

---

# Slack AI Assistant: Answer, Triage, and Act in Channels

> A Slack AI assistant answers in channels and DMs, triages threads, drafts replies, and acts in connected tools like Gmail, Notion, Linear, and GitHub. Clear asks run, Arlo asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone, and memory carries context across Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, and calls.

Updated: 2026-07-31 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack

An AI assistant in Slack does the work where the work already happens. It answers in channels and DMs, untangles long threads, drafts the reply you were going to write anyway, and takes real action in your connected tools. When you ask clearly, Arlo does it and tells you what it did. It asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Slack stays fast, and you always see what it did.

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that lives inside Slack like another teammate — the [Slack AI assistant page](/slack) covers what it is and what it costs; this guide is the mechanics. It reads the channel, figures out what you need, and acts through Gmail, Notion, Linear, GitHub, and 3,000+ other tools. Its memory follows the work, so a thread you start in Slack still makes sense later on iMessage, on WhatsApp, or on a phone call.

Most "AI in Slack" is a search box: it finds messages and summarizes threads. That's useful, but it stops at answers. An AI assistant your employees can actually delegate to does the next step — it drafts the reply, opens the ticket, updates the record, and sends when you say so. The difference is whether it hands you information or hands you back finished work.

## What an AI assistant does in Slack

A real Slack assistant is not an FAQ bot. It's in the flow:

- **Answers in channels and DMs** with memory of past decisions, projects, and who's who.
- **Triages threads** by summarizing the discussion, flagging the actual decision, and pulling in context.
- **Drafts replies, messages, and docs** so you're editing instead of staring at a blank box.
- **Acts in connected tools**: opens a Linear issue, comments on a GitHub PR, updates a Notion page, queues a Gmail draft.
- **Runs scheduled work** like a recurring roundup or a reminder that fires when it should.
- **Posts a morning briefing** of what moved overnight across your tools.

## Concrete Slack scenarios

What that looks like in a real workspace:

- Mention Arlo on a nasty customer thread in `#support`. It summarizes the issue, checks Notion for the runbook, and drafts a reply for an agent to approve before it sends.
- In `#engineering`, ask it to open a Linear issue from a bug report in the thread. It writes the title, description, and labels, files it, and posts the link back in the thread.
- In a DM, ask "what changed in the launch project since Friday?" Arlo reads Linear, GitHub, and Notion and hands back a tight summary.
- Schedule a 9am post in `#standup` that rolls up open PRs and at-risk issues. You approve the format once, then it runs on its own.
- Ask for a follow-up to a prospect mentioned in `#sales`. The Gmail draft sits there until you sign off.

## Actions and approvals

Governance is what separates a useful Slack assistant from a liability. Arlo resolves every connection through policy before a run starts, does what you clearly asked, and [asks first when it matters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending). Every tool call, source, and approval lands in a full [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail), so you can always see what happened and why.

### When Arlo asks first in Slack

This is a [human-in-the-loop](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) check, and it follows the same rules every time:

1. **A clear ask runs.** "Open a Linear issue for this" or "post the roundup in #standup" just happens, and Arlo reports back in the thread.
2. **Some things get a question first.** Arlo asks when the request is unclear or several options fit, when it would go beyond what you asked or reach someone you didn't mean, when its own wording would go out in your name to someone who hasn't seen it, when money would move, when something can't be undone, or when the instruction came from a web page or tool result rather than from you.
3. **An approval card posts in Slack.** You see which tool and account the action would use and a preview of exactly what Arlo is about to send or write, in the thread where the request came up, not in a separate console someone has to remember to check.
4. **You approve or deny** from the card.
5. **Arlo reports the outcome** back in the thread and writes the chain (tool, actor, decision, result) to the audit trace.
6. **Silence is not a yes.** When Arlo asks, it waits for your answer. An unanswered question never turns into a send.

You can also tell Arlo to always ask before certain actions, like anything posted to a customer channel, and it will.

| Capability | Read-only bot | AI assistant in Slack (Arlo) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Answer in channels/DMs | Yes | Yes |
| Triage and summarize threads | Limited | Yes, with memory |
| Take actions in connected tools | No | Yes, via 3,000+ integrations |
| Asks first when it matters | No | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Audit trace of every action | No | Yes |
| Tools with no API (browser) | No | Yes, logs in once and clicks/fills |

## Tools with and without an API

Plenty of internal systems never shipped an API. Arlo handles those by logging in once in a secure browser session and clicking, reading, and filling forms the way a person does. So a Slack request can drive a legacy portal or an internal dashboard that no off-the-shelf integration touches, under the same rules and audit trail as everything else.

## How to connect an AI assistant to Slack

Getting Arlo into a workspace takes minutes, not a rollout. You add it, point it at the channels it should watch, and connect the tools it's allowed to act in — each connection scoped by policy up front. From there, people mention it in a channel or DM it directly, the same way they'd loop in a coworker. There's nothing for the rest of the team to install and no new app to learn: if they can use Slack, they can use Arlo.

## Context that follows the work

Slack is rarely the only place your team talks, so Arlo is one assistant across [iMessage and SMS](/imessage), Slack, [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), and live phone calls. A thread can start in a channel and finish on a call, and the morning briefing finds you wherever you are. If you're solo, see how an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) or [AI personal assistant](/glossary/ai-personal-assistant) fits a single workday.

Want role-specific takes? Look at how this plays for [founders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders), [sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales), and [realtors](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors), or dig through [resources](/resources).

Comparing the field rather than the capability? [Best AI assistants for Slack](/compare/best-ai-assistants-for-slack) lines up eight tools against the three jobs teams actually hire a Slack assistant for.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is a Slack AI assistant?** A Slack AI assistant is an AI that works inside your Slack workspace — answering in channels and DMs, summarizing and triaging threads, drafting replies, and taking action in connected tools like Gmail, Notion, Linear, and GitHub. The useful ones act, not just answer; the safe ones ask first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone.

**What's the difference between Slack AI and a Slack AI assistant?** Slack's own AI features summarize threads, search messages, and recap channels inside Slack. A Slack AI assistant like Arlo also acts outside Slack — opening the Linear issue, queuing the Gmail draft, updating the CRM record — using Slack as the place you delegate from rather than the boundary of what it can do.

**Can an AI assistant in Slack take actions with approval?** Yes. A clear ask runs and Arlo tells you what it did. When a request is unclear, would spend money, can't be undone, or would send Arlo's own words to someone who hasn't seen them, an approval card posts in Slack showing the tool, the account, and a preview of what it would send. You approve or deny from the card, and an unanswered card never turns into a send.

**Is it safe to give an AI assistant access to Slack channels?** The safety comes from scoping and review, not from trust. You pick the channels it watches and the tools it may act in, each connection is resolved through policy before a run starts, Arlo asks first on money, anything unclear, and anything that can't be undone, and every run leaves an [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) showing what it read, what it called, and who approved it.

**Does everyone on the team need to install something?** No. Arlo is added to the workspace once; from there people mention it in a channel or DM it like any coworker. There is no per-person app to install and no new interface to learn.

**Can the same assistant work in iMessage too?** Yes — Arlo runs in Slack, [WhatsApp](/whatsapp), [iMessage and SMS](/imessage), and on live phone calls, with one memory across all of them. A thread that starts in a Slack channel can finish on a call without re-explaining the context.

## Try Arlo

Bring an AI colleague into your Slack workspace that answers, drafts, and acts, with a full audit trail behind every move. [Get started](/signup) and connect your first channel in minutes.

---

# An AI Assistant That Follows Up For You

> An AI assistant that follows up for you tracks who owes you a reply and chases them on a schedule you set. It notices a thread that went quiet, drafts the follow-up in your voice, and shows it to you before it goes, unless you've told it to just send. Arlo works across email, text, Slack, and phone calls, so one assistant can chase by text, email a reminder, or call to confirm.

Updated: 2026-08-25 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-that-follows-up-for-you

Almost nothing is lost because the work was bad. It is lost because nobody followed up. The quote that never got chased, the lead who went quiet after one good call, the invoice sitting unpaid because reminding people feels rude — the money leaks out of the gap between *I should follow up on that* and actually doing it.

That gap is a memory problem and a friction problem at once. You have to remember who owes you a reply, and then find the will to write the third message into silence. An AI assistant that follows up for you closes both halves: [Arlo](/) keeps track of who has gone quiet, and drafts the chase so the only thing left for you is to say *send*.

## It notices the silence

The hard part is not writing the follow-up. It is knowing one is due. Arlo watches the threads you care about and surfaces the ones where the ball is in someone else's court and has been for too long.

- A prospect replied warmly nine days ago and nothing has happened since.
- A quote went out on Thursday and was never acknowledged.
- You promised someone a document and never sent it.

You get a text listing what is hanging, not a dashboard you would have to open. If you would rather it be quiet on the days nothing is outstanding, it will be — see [an AI assistant that texts you reminders](/use-cases/ai-assistant-that-texts-you-reminders).

## It drafts the chase, in your voice

A follow-up is a small piece of writing with a surprisingly high cost: you have to reread the thread, remember what you promised, and find a tone that is persistent without being irritating. Arlo does that part.

It pulls the context from the thread, writes the message the way you write, and hands it to you finished. You reply *send* and it goes. You reply *make it warmer* or *shorter* or *mention the deadline* and it rewrites. If you'd rather it just send a certain kind of chase, tell it so and it will. Every send is logged in [a full audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail).

## It chases on whatever channel the person actually uses

People go quiet in different places, and the follow-up has to go where they are. Arlo is one assistant across [email](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-email), [iMessage and SMS](/imessage), [Slack](/slack), and [phone calls](/phone), so a single follow-up sequence can:

- text a lead who came in through Instagram or a DM,
- email the quote reminder with the original attached,
- and [place a live call](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls) when a thread has gone cold enough that another email will not fix it.

That last one is the piece most assistants cannot do. A call gets answered when three emails did not, and Arlo can make it, then tell you what was said.

## It keeps the cadence you would not keep

Good follow-up is a rhythm, and rhythms are exactly what a busy week destroys. You can hand Arlo the cadence once — *chase twice in the first week, then weekly for a month, then leave it* — and it holds that pattern across every open thread without you tracking any of it.

When someone finally replies, the chasing stops on its own. When they don't, it stops when you told it to, so nobody gets pursued past the point of being reasonable.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can AI follow up on emails for me?** Yes. Arlo tracks which threads are waiting on someone else, drafts the follow-up in your voice when one goes quiet, and sends it once you say so, or right away if you've told it to just send. You can set the cadence once — chase twice in the first week, then weekly — and it holds that pattern across every open thread.

**How does it know a follow-up is due?** It watches the threads you care about and looks at who replied last. When the ball has been in someone else's court longer than your cadence allows, it surfaces that thread to you as a text rather than a dashboard you would have to open.

**Will it keep chasing someone forever?** No. Chasing stops on its own when the person replies, and otherwise stops at the limit you set, so nobody gets pursued past the point of being reasonable.

**Can it follow up by text or phone instead of email?** Yes. Arlo is one assistant across email, iMessage and SMS, Slack, and live phone calls, so a follow-up can go out on whichever channel that person actually uses — including a real phone call when another email will not fix it.

## Who this is for

Anyone whose income depends on threads not dying: realtors chasing leads out of Instagram DMs, [consultants](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-consultants) waiting on scope approvals, [agencies](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-agencies) chasing feedback rounds, [recruiters](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-recruiters) keeping candidates warm, and [small businesses](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-small-business) waiting to get paid.

The common shape is simple: a small number of open threads where forgetting one costs real money — and no assistant to hold them.

---

# An AI assistant that texts reminders in Messages

> Arlo sends reminders to your Messages thread, so you can set them where you already text. Give it the task, date, time zone and repeat schedule, then check its confirmation. Change or stop a reminder by replying. It is free to start within a usage allowance.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-that-texts-you-reminders

Put the reminder where you already look: your Messages conversation. Tell Arlo what you need to do and when, then check the schedule it confirms. You can change or stop it with a reply.

The walkthrough below illustrates Arlo's reminder workflow, checked 3 November 2026.

## Set the task and check the confirmation

Send a request that includes the action, schedule and delivery channel. For example: “Every Friday at 09:00 Europe/Rome, text me in Messages to confirm next week's appointment.”

![Illustrative reminder setup: ask for a weekly Friday reminder, then verify the next date, 09:00 Europe/Rome and delivery in Messages. No reminder has been scheduled.](/images/content/reminder-confirmation-walkthrough.svg)

*Illustrative request and confirmation, not a product screenshot or a created reminder.*

For that example, the confirmation should identify the next run as **Friday 6 November 2026 at 09:00 Europe/Rome**, repeat **every Friday**, and deliver to **Messages**. Those details belong in the response you check. If any is wrong, correct it before relying on the reminder.

## What kind of reminder do you need?

| Your need | Give Arlo | Check in the confirmation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One reminder | The task, date, time and zone | One next occurrence, with no repeat |
| A recurring nudge | The task and repeat rule | Next occurrence and how to stop it |
| A conditional update | The connected source and condition | What is checked, how often and where results arrive |

“Tomorrow morning” may be enough for a casual request, but a deadline deserves a specific date and time zone. A recurring watch also needs an authorized source. Texting Arlo does not let it read every conversation or account you have.

If the task begins inside another message, use the [message-to-task guide](/blog/turn-messages-into-tasks-and-reminders) to extract and review it first. That is a different step from scheduling delivery.

## Change or stop it from the thread

Reply with the change: “Move that to ten,” “Only on weekdays,” or “Stop the Friday appointment reminder.” Identify the reminder if more than one could match. Check the revised next occurrence or the cancellation confirmation.

A reminder to book and asking Arlo to make the booking are separate requests. If you want it to do the task too, say what it may do and where it should stop. It checks when a request is unclear, would spend money or cannot be undone.

## Free use, background work and delivery

Arlo starts free within a monthly allowance. The [pricing page](/pricing) has current limits and rates. A recurring check can consume usage even if nothing changed and no text was sent; “stay silent” is a delivery preference, not a promise of free processing.

Messages and WhatsApp have different delivery constraints. For WhatsApp, approved templates and the active conversation window can affect later updates. Check your selected channel before depending on a scheduled nudge.

[ChatGPT scheduled tasks](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10291617-scheduled-tasks-in-chatgpt) are another option if push or email fits you. Its supported schedules and limits depend on account and plan. Phone reminders may also be enough for a simple local alert. Choose the destination you will notice.

[Start free with Arlo](/start) and send the task, date, time zone and whether it repeats. Arlo confirms the schedule in your conversation.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there a free AI assistant that texts reminders?** Arlo starts free within a usage allowance and can deliver reminders to Messages. Free use is limited; check pricing and the confirmed delivery channel.

**Do I need another app?** You can set an Arlo reminder from its Messages thread. Verify the exact next occurrence and repeat schedule in its response.

**Can it make reminders from my other texts?** You can provide the relevant message and ask for a draft task. Texting Arlo does not grant access to your other threads; reading a connected source requires separate access.

**Does silence mean the reminder costs nothing?** No. A scheduled check may use allowance even when it sends no update. Reduce unnecessary checking and stop reminders you no longer need.

**How do I cancel a recurring reminder?** Tell Arlo which reminder to stop and check its confirmation. If your request could identify several reminders, clarify which one you mean.

---

# An AI assistant to reschedule appointments by text

> Arlo can contact a business to move your appointment by phone or through an authorized booking account. Text the original booking, preferred dates, time zone and fee limit. Tell it to preserve the original until the replacement is confirmed, then review the new details in your conversation.

Updated: 2026-11-03 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-to-reschedule-appointments

Text Arlo your current appointment and the dates that work instead. It can contact the business, ask about replacements and bring back the result. Tell it to keep the original booking until a replacement is confirmed.

Arlo takes personal requests through iMessage, SMS or WhatsApp, and work requests through Slack. It calls businesses, navigates menus and waits on hold. It checks unclear requests, spending and irreversible actions. Each office has its own rules for accepting an assistant's request.

## Give Arlo your replacement dates

Provide the business name, contact route, original date and booking reference if needed. State replacement dates in preference order, your time zone and budget. Say whether another location or staff member is acceptable.

An illustrative request: "Ask the repair shop to move my 10 November appointment at 3pm to 12 or 13 November after 2pm, Europe/Rome. Keep the same location. Ask about fees and check with me before any payment. Keep the original appointment until a replacement is confirmed. If they require cancellation first, stop and ask me."

For medical appointments, keep the request administrative. Questions about whether changing a date affects your care belong with the clinician or office.

## Match the result to the next step

| Result from the business | Appointment state | What to do next |
| --- | --- | --- |
| It received a change request | Replacement unconfirmed | Keep the original booking |
| It offered several slots | Options available | Choose or apply your stated preference |
| It requires a fee or identity check | Change awaiting action | Resolve that step before proceeding |
| It confirmed the replacement | New booking confirmed | Verify the old slot and calendar record |

## Preserve the original until confirmation

Ask for available replacements without releasing the old slot. If the business can only cancel first, the assistant should bring that tradeoff back to you. A policy that prevents holding both slots is a reason to ask, not to guess.

Set a fee boundary even when you expect a free change. Check deposit transfers, cancellation charges and price differences. Arlo checks before spending; specify whether another service is acceptable.

Some businesses require you to verify identity, enter an account or speak directly. The assistant may need to stop there. Share only required details. See [booking a doctor's appointment](/blog/can-ai-book-a-doctors-appointment) for clinic constraints.

## Read the final confirmation

A final update should state the replacement date, time, time zone, location and reference; the original booking's status; and agreed fees. If confirmation is pending, keep your existing calendar event.

After confirmation, check the calendar and reminder. A calendar edit alone does not reschedule the business's booking. See the [scheduling guide](/use-cases/ai-scheduling-assistant) for coordination, or [turn a forwarded notice into a task](/blog/turn-messages-into-tasks-and-reminders). Current Arlo allowances and call rates are on [pricing](/pricing).

[Start free with Arlo](/start). Send the original booking, preferred alternatives, time zone and fee limit. Ask it to confirm the replacement before releasing your old slot.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an AI assistant reschedule an appointment for me?** It can request changes through supported calls or authorized accounts. Completion depends on availability, the business's rules and any verification it requires.

**Should it cancel my original appointment first?** Your default instruction should preserve the original until the replacement is confirmed. If the business requires cancellation first, ask the assistant to stop for your decision.

**What if the business charges a fee?** Have the assistant report the amount and terms before proceeding. State a budget and require approval before payment or an irreversible change.

**How do I know the appointment moved?** Look for confirmation from the business, the full replacement details and the status of the original slot. A request or calendar edit alone is insufficient.

---

# AI Assistant With Approval Before Sending

> An AI assistant with approval before sending checks with you at the moments that matter. Arlo runs a clear request without a second question, then tells you what it did. It asks first before its own drafted words go to someone you know, before money moves, before anything that can't be undone, and when a request is unclear. Every tool call and approval lands in an audit trail.

Updated: 2026-07-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-with-approval-before-sending

The moment an AI assistant can actually do things — send the email, update the record, place the order — the question stops being "is it smart enough?" and becomes "what happens when it's wrong?" An assistant that never checks with you is a liability waiting to send the wrong message to the wrong person. An assistant that checks on everything is one you stop using. Arlo sits between the two.

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that does what you clearly ask and tells you what it did. "Text Sam I'm running late" or "move the Acme deal to Proposal" just happens. It stops and asks when the moment calls for it, so the assistant moves fast without moving past you.

## When Arlo asks before sending

Arlo asks first when:

- **Its own words would go out in your name** to someone you know who hasn't seen them, and you didn't say to just send. You see the draft, reply *send*, and it goes.
- **Money would move** — a payment, a purchase, a booking that costs money, or a hold on your card.
- **Something can't be undone** — deleting a record, a page, or a file that can't be restored.
- **The request is unclear** — several options fit, it would reach someone you didn't mean, or it would go beyond what you asked.
- **You asked to see it first** — "draft it", "compare options", "show me before you send".
- **The instruction didn't come from you** — a web page, a tool result, or someone else asked for it.
- **Calls that commit** — when Arlo is [on the phone](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls), agreeing to a charge comes back to you first.

Everything else you asked for clearly runs without a second question, including texting, emailing, or calling a business for you when it spends none of your money. You can also tell Arlo to always ask before certain actions, and it will.

## Why teams need the human in the loop

"Human in the loop" gets said a lot; most tools mean an off switch buried in settings. For a team, the check has to land in the right places and it has to be visible:

- **A wrong send is expensive.** One bad reply to a customer or a prospect can't be unsent. Seeing a draft first is cheaper than an apology.
- **Trust is what lets you delegate.** People hand off more work to an assistant that does what they asked, asks when it isn't sure, and always says what it did.
- **Governance is becoming table stakes.** As rules like the EU AI Act phase in through 2026, "a human reviewed it" stops being a nice-to-have and starts being something you need to show.

## How Arlo's approvals work

Governance isn't a mode you switch on later — it's how a run is shaped from the start:

1. **Policy first.** Before a run begins, every tool connection resolves through policy — what Arlo may touch, and how far it can go.
2. **Do what you asked.** A clear request runs, and Arlo tells you what it did.
3. **Ask when it matters.** Its own drafts to people you know, money, anything that can't be undone, and anything unclear come back to you first.
4. **Log it.** Every tool call, every approval, and the action it released land in an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail).

| | Ungoverned AI assistant | Arlo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What it does on its own | Anything | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear |
| Its own drafts to people you know | Sends them | Shows you first, unless you say just send |
| Read-only work | Flows | Flows |
| Record of what it did and what you approved | None | Full audit trail |
| Policy on what tools it can touch | Rare | Resolved before every run |

## Fast and safe aren't opposites

The worry is always that checking in slows everything down. It doesn't, because most of what you ask for is clear, and Arlo only stops at the moments that matter, usually one tap to release something it already prepared. You get the speed of delegation and the safety of review, in the [channels you already use](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack).

## Frequently asked questions

**What does "approval before sending" mean?** It means the assistant checks with you before certain actions. With Arlo, a clear request runs and it tells you what it did. It asks first before its own drafted words go to someone you know, before money moves, before anything that can't be undone, and when a request is unclear.

**Will it send things without asking?** Only what you clearly asked for. "Email Dana the deck" goes. If Arlo wrote the message itself and Dana hasn't seen it, you see the draft first unless you said to just send.

**Can I make it ask before certain actions?** Yes. Tell Arlo to always ask before a kind of action, like anything sent to a customer, and it will.

**Is there a record of what got approved?** Yes. Every approval — who gave it and what it released — is stored in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) tied back to the original request.

**Why does this matter for compliance?** Regulations increasingly expect a human check on consequential automated actions. Clear rules for when the assistant asks, plus an audit trail of every action and approval, is how you show what happened and who said yes.

## Getting started

Give an assistant real reach without giving up the last word. [Try Arlo](/signup) and see how much you'll hand off once you know it asks when it matters and tells you what it did.

---

# The AI Assistant You Can Text and Call

> An AI assistant you can text and call helps with everyday tasks from a conversation: calls, bookings, research and connected apps. Arlo answers by text or on the phone, takes real action in your tools, asks first on money or anything unclear, and remembers context across every channel, including Slack and WhatsApp.

Updated: 2026-10-28 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call

Most AI tools ask you to open a tab, log in, and remember they exist. The ones people actually use meet them where they already are. Arlo is an AI assistant you reach the same two ways you reach a coworker: you text it, or you call it. There's no separate chat app to download. Each person uses their own conversation and grants access to their own accounts.

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that answers over text and over the phone, and does the same real work either way. Send it a message like you'd text a contact, or ring its number and talk. It listens, takes action in your connected tools, and answers you on the call — and because it's one assistant across channels, the conversation carries whether you started it [by text](/imessage), [on a call](/phone), in [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), or on [WhatsApp](/whatsapp).

## Text it or call it — same assistant

- **Text a number, no app.** Message Arlo in iMessage or SMS the way you text anyone. Ask a question, hand off a task, or forward something to deal with. See the [text-in-iMessage](/imessage) entry for the details.
- **Call it and talk.** When it's easier to say than to type, ring Arlo and give it the task out loud. It can also place calls back out on your behalf — [more on the calling side here](/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls).
- **One memory across both.** Start on a call, follow up by text, and it still knows what you're talking about. The context follows you, not the channel.
- **Separate conversations for separate people.** Sharing Arlo's number does not share your account, connected apps or private memory. Each person starts their own conversation and completes any setup needed for their task.

## Everyday tasks, and work too

Start with a [restaurant booking question](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-restaurant-bookings), a call you have been putting off, or [plans with friends](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-group-plans). Arlo also supports work in Slack and connected tools. You do not need a team to use it.

## What it does once you reach it

Getting to Arlo is the easy part. What makes it worth reaching is that it acts:

- Triages and drafts your email, then sends when you say so.
- Schedules meetings and handles the reschedule back-and-forth.
- Reads from and writes to your CRM, project tracker, docs, and 3,000+ other tools.
- Uses apps that have no API by signing in once through a secure browser session.
- Runs recurring work and delivers a morning briefing of what changed.

## Choose by the task you need

Check the channel, the account connection and the action you need rather than assuming every texting assistant supports the same jobs. For a first request, give Arlo the outcome, constraints and where it should stop for approval. The [everyday delegation guide](/blog/how-to-delegate-everyday-tasks-to-ai) gives examples for calls, bookings and returns.

If you're comparing the text-first assistants specifically, see our comparison of [AI assistants you can text](/compare/best-ai-assistants-you-can-text), plus [Arlo vs. Poke](/compare/arlo-vs-poke) and the [Poke alternatives](/compare/poke-alternatives) rundown.

## Safe to hand real work to

An assistant you can reach this easily still has to be safe to trust. Every connection resolves through policy before a run. When you ask clearly, Arlo does it and tells you what it did; it asks first when a request is unclear, would spend money, or can't be undone. Every action lands in an [audit trace](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). You get the convenience of a number to text or call, without giving up control of what it does.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there an AI assistant I can just text or call?** Yes. Arlo gives you a number you can text in iMessage or SMS, or call directly. There's no app to install — you reach it the way you'd reach a person, and it answers and acts.

**Can I call it, not just text?** Yes. You can ring Arlo and give it a task by voice, and it can place calls back out on your behalf, then tell you how it went when you ask.

**Does sharing Arlo's number share my account?** No. Each person uses their own conversation and authorized connections, and completes the setup needed for their task. Your private user memory is not available to another person or a shared channel by default.

**Does it remember what I said on a call when I text later?** Yes. Arlo keeps one memory across text, calls, Slack, and WhatsApp, so context follows the conversation instead of resetting per channel.

**Can it actually do things, or just reply?** It acts. Arlo connects to Gmail, Slack, Notion, Linear, GitHub and 3,000+ tools, asks first on money or anything unclear, and logs every step.

## Getting started

Save one number and use it two ways. [Try Arlo](/signup), text it or call it, and hand off the first thing on your list.

---

# AI Executive Assistant That Makes Phone Calls

> An AI executive assistant that makes phone calls can place live calls for you — confirming an appointment, chasing a vendor, or passing along a message — and keep the transcript so you can ask how it went. Arlo does this alongside iMessage, Slack, and WhatsApp, and asks you first before anything costs money or goes beyond what you asked.

Updated: 2026-07-04 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-executive-assistant-that-makes-phone-calls

A human executive assistant does something almost no AI assistant does: they pick up the phone. They call the restaurant to move the reservation, chase the vendor who went quiet, and confirm the appointment so it doesn't fall through. Most "AI executive assistants" can draft an email about the call, but they can't make it. Arlo can.

Arlo is an [AI colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) that places real phone calls as part of the same job it does over text — see [Arlo on the phone](/phone) for the channel itself. You ask it in iMessage, Slack, or WhatsApp, and it dials out, has the conversation, and comes back with a summary and whatever changed — a booked time, a confirmed detail, a message delivered. The work that used to mean picking up the phone yourself just gets handed off.

## What "makes phone calls" actually means

Arlo isn't a call-center receptionist that screens every call to your business. It's an assistant that makes the specific calls you'd rather not, and fields the ones that come to its own number:

- **Outbound calls it places for you.** Confirm or move an appointment, call a supplier for a quote, follow up on an order, or pass a short message to someone who doesn't check email.
- **Calls you make to it.** Call your Arlo number yourself and hand it a task by voice, the same as you would by text.
- **A summary every time.** After a call, Arlo writes up what was said and updates the record it's tied to — the CRM note, the calendar event, the thread you asked from.
- **Your approval on anything that costs you.** A charge, a deposit, or anything beyond what you asked comes back to you first, so a call never quietly agrees to spend your money.

## Where a calling assistant earns its keep

The phone is still where a lot of real work closes, especially for the roles that live on it:

- A [founder](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-founders) asks Arlo to call three vendors for pricing and come back with a comparison, instead of playing phone tag all afternoon.
- A [realtor](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-realtors) has Arlo confirm the day's showings by phone and text, then flag the one that didn't pick up.
- A [recruiter](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-recruiters) asks it to call a candidate to confirm an interview slot and log the result.
- A busy operator forwards a lead to Arlo's number so a first question gets answered in seconds, not hours.

## Arlo vs. other AI executive assistants

Most tools in this category stop at email and calendar. Voice-AI platforms can dial but do little else, and they're built to answer your phones, not to be your assistant.

| Capability | Typical AI EA (email/calendar) | Voice-AI receptionist | Arlo |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Drafts email and schedules | Yes | No | Yes |
| Places outbound calls for you | No | Rarely | Yes |
| You can call it and give it a task | No | Yes | Yes |
| Works in iMessage and Slack | Sometimes | No | Yes |
| Acts across 3,000+ tools (incl. no-API via browser) | Limited | No | Yes |
| Asks first before it spends your money | Rarely | No | Yes |
| Full audit trace of every call and action | No | No | Yes |

[Martin](/compare/arlo-vs-martin) can also make calls, so there the difference isn't the phone — it's that Arlo runs inside your team's Slack and keeps a governed audit trail on everything it does. Against email-only tools like an [AI executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) that never leaves the inbox, the phone is the whole gap.

## Governed, so you can hand off the phone

Letting an assistant speak on your behalf only works if you stay in control of what it commits to. Every connection Arlo uses resolves through policy before a run. A clear ask, like "call the dentist and move me to Thursday," runs, and Arlo tells you how it went. Anything that would spend your money, or go beyond what you asked, comes back to you first. And every call, source, and approval lands in an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) you can read back later. You delegate the call without losing the paper trail.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an AI executive assistant really make phone calls?** Yes. Arlo places live outbound calls to confirm an appointment, chase a vendor, or pass a message, and you can call it yourself to hand it a task. It keeps the transcript of each call, so you can ask how it went.

**Does it just read a script, or hold a conversation?** It holds the conversation. Arlo listens and responds in real time, then reports back. For anything that would cost you money, like a deposit or a paid booking, or that goes beyond what you asked, it stops and asks you first.

**Is Arlo a receptionist for my business?** No. Arlo places the calls you delegate and takes calls from you, but it doesn't answer or screen other people's calls for your business. If you need a receptionist, a dedicated answering service is the better fit.

**Where do I ask it to call?** Anywhere you already talk to Arlo — [iMessage](/imessage), [Slack](/use-cases/ai-assistant-in-slack), or [WhatsApp](/whatsapp). It remembers the context, so "call them back and confirm 3pm" just works.

**What happens after a call?** Arlo keeps the transcript and logs the call in its audit trace. It doesn't text you a recap unprompted: ask how it went and it tells you, and it will update the CRM note or calendar event the call was about if you ask.

## Getting started

Hand off the first call you've been dreading. [Try Arlo](/signup), text it a number to call, and let it dial out and have the conversation, then ask how it went.

---

# AI finance agent — invoices, expenses, and the money chase

> An AI finance agent runs the follow-through layer of company finance: chasing overdue invoices by email and live phone call, collecting missing receipts and expenses, reconciling records across tools, flagging spend anomalies, and prepping month-end. Arlo does this from your Slack or text thread — it asks first before money moves, and every action is audit-trailed.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-finance-agent

Finance work in most companies is two different jobs. One is judgment: what to spend, how to price, when to raise. The other is pursuit: the invoice at day 45, the receipt nobody submitted, the subscription that doubled quietly, the numbers that need assembling every month-end. The pursuit job is relentless, procedural, and mostly about not forgetting — which makes it ideal work for an [AI agent](/glossary/ai-employee), in the one domain where "the AI did something unexpected" is least acceptable. So the design constraint comes first: anything that moves or holds money asks you first, and everything is logged.

## What Arlo pursues

- **Receivables, actually chased** — polite reminder at due date, firmer at 15, a [live phone call](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls) at 30 when email stops working. Escalation on your schedule, every touch logged, and you approve the tone tiers once instead of writing each email.
- **Expenses and receipts collected** — the monthly hunt for receipts becomes Arlo pinging each person in their own thread until the pile is complete, matched, and filed.
- **Records that reconcile** — invoices, payments, and the spreadsheet/books kept consistent across your tools among 3,000+ integrations — including finance portals with no API, worked through a secure browser session.
- **Anomaly flags in plain language** — "software spend is up 40% this month — here are the three new charges" beats discovering it at quarter-end. You set the thresholds; Arlo watches them daily.
- **Month-end prep** — the assembling, categorizing, and chasing-of-missing-pieces that eats the first week of every month, done before your accountant asks.
- **Answers from your thread** — "what's outstanding over 30 days?" "what did we spend on contractors this quarter?" — asked in Slack or a text, answered from your actual records.

## The guardrails are the product

Arlo doesn't move money. It chases, records, reconciles, flags, and drafts. Clear asks run, and Arlo [asks you first](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) on a payment instruction, on a message it wrote that a customer hasn't seen (unless you said to just send), on anything that can't be undone, and on anything you didn't clearly ask for. Every action lands in a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail): what was sent to whom, what changed, who approved. For finance work that trail isn't a feature — it's the reason you can delegate at all.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI finance agent do?** Chases invoices by email and phone, collects expenses and receipts, reconciles records, flags spend anomalies, and preps month-end, asking first on money or anything unclear, with a full audit trail.

**Can it actually call customers about overdue invoices?** Yes — Arlo places real calls with the tone you approved, logs the conversation, and records the outcome. It's the escalation step that email-only tools can't take.

**Does it move money or make payments?** No. It pursues, records, and drafts; payment execution stays with humans. That boundary is deliberate.

**Does it work with my accounting stack?** Arlo connects to major finance tools among 3,000+ integrations and can operate portals with no API through a secure browser session. Check the in-product list for your specific stack.

**Will it embarrass us with a customer?** Every outbound touch follows escalation rules you approved, and anything outside them waits on your sign-off. The audit trail shows exactly what was sent, when, to whom.

---

# AI HR agent — people ops without the ticket queue

> An AI HR agent handles the execution layer of people ops: running onboarding and offboarding checklists across tools, answering policy questions straight from your handbook, tracking leave and approvals, chasing performance reviews before deadlines slip, and keeping records consistent. Arlo does this in Slack, WhatsApp, or text, asking first on pay or anything unclear.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-hr-agent

People ops in a growing company is a hundred small workflows wearing a trench coat. Onboarding alone spans six tools; "quick" policy questions interrupt someone's whole afternoon; review cycles slip because chasing managers is nobody's favorite job; and every missed step lands on a real person's first day, paycheck, or leave request. It's exactly the shape of work an [AI agent](/glossary/ai-employee) does well — checklist-driven, cross-tool, deadline-bound — in exactly the domain where mistakes are personal, which is why governance can't be an afterthought.

## What Arlo runs for people ops

- **Onboarding, end to end** — accounts requested, equipment ordered, intro meetings booked, first-week schedule sent, buddy assigned. One checklist, executed across your tools, with progress visible in your channel and nothing silently skipped.
- **Policy questions, answered from your docs** — "how does parental leave work?" gets an instant answer sourced from your actual handbook — not the model's general knowledge — with a link to the section. HR stops being a search engine.
- **Leave and approvals routing** — requests captured where people ask (Slack, text), routed to the right approver, recorded in the system, and reflected on calendars.
- **Review cycles that finish on time** — Arlo chases every manager with what's missing and when it's due, escalating politely as deadlines approach. The cycle ends without the spreadsheet of shame.
- **Offboarding without loose ends** — access revoked, equipment recovered, exit interview booked, records closed — the checklist nobody wants to run manually and nobody can afford to miss.
- **Records that agree with each other** — the HRIS, the org chart, and the payroll sheet stop drifting, because updates happen as a side effect of every workflow.

## Sensitive by default, and built for it

HR data is the most sensitive thing in the company that isn't code-signing keys. Arlo's model fits: access is **scoped** (the agent touches only the systems and fields you grant), clear asks run, Arlo [asks first](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) on anything that moves money such as pay, anything unclear, and anything that can't be undone, you can tell it to always ask before access or status changes, and every action lands in an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail), which HR of all functions will appreciate the day a question gets asked. Judgment calls — the sensitive conversation, the accommodation decision, anything involving a person's circumstances — route to humans, always. The agent runs process, not people.

## Frequently asked questions

**What does an AI HR agent do?** It executes people-ops workflows: onboarding/offboarding checklists, policy Q&A from your own documents, leave routing, review-cycle chasing, and record consistency, asking first on pay, anything unclear, or anything that can't be undone.

**Is it safe for confidential HR data?** Arlo's access is scoped to what you grant, it asks first on money, anything unclear, and anything that can't be undone (and before any action you've told it to always check), and everything is audit-trailed. Personnel judgment stays with humans by design.

**Can it answer employee questions directly?** Yes — in Slack, WhatsApp, or text, sourced from your handbook and policies with links to the source. Questions it can't ground in your docs escalate to your team instead of getting a guess.

**Does it replace an HR person?** It replaces the ticket-queue portion of the job. The human parts of human resources — judgment, care, hard conversations — are explicitly out of scope.

**How does it handle onboarding across tools?** It runs your checklist across email, calendars, HRIS, ticketing, and IT systems among 3,000+ integrations — using a secure browser session for tools with no API — and reports progress as it goes.

---

# AI marketing agent — campaigns, content, and follow-through

> An AI marketing agent handles marketing's execution layer: monitoring ad spend and flagging waste, drafting content and emails in your brand voice, watching competitors, assembling the weekly report, and chasing the follow-ups campaigns depend on. Arlo does this across iMessage, Slack, and WhatsApp — proposing consequential changes for your approval rather than acting alone.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-marketing-agent

Marketing has a strategy layer and an execution layer, and the execution layer is winning by volume. Between the ad checks, the content calendar, the competitor you're supposed to be watching, the weekly report, and the follow-ups every campaign generates, the actual thinking — positioning, offers, creative bets — gets the leftovers. An AI marketing agent exists to flip that ratio: it absorbs the execution grind and leaves the judgment to you.

The framing matters. An [AI marketing agent](/glossary/ai-employee) isn't a content mill or a black-box optimizer. It's a colleague you brief once — your ICP, your voice, your targets — that then runs the recurring work and brings you decisions instead of chores.

## What Arlo runs for a marketing team

- **Ad account vigilance** — daily performance pulled across Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and X, waste flagged, changes drafted for [your approval](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-ads). The full ads workflow has its own guide.
- **Content in your voice** — blog drafts, landing copy, email sequences, social posts. Arlo remembers your voice and your ICP across every request; you edit judgment, not grammar.
- **Competitor watch** — pricing page changed, new comparison post shipped, funding announced. A short note in your channel when something actually happened, not a weekly digest of nothing.
- **The weekly report, assembled** — traffic, spend, pipeline contribution, what shipped — pulled from your analytics, ad accounts, and CRM into one summary that goes where your team reads.
- **Campaign follow-through** — the webinar list that needs a same-day follow-up, the influencer who never replied, the landing page ticket that's blocking launch. Chased, on schedule, [including by phone](/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call) when email stalls.
- **Everything, from your thread** — brief it, approve its proposals, and read its reports in iMessage, Slack, or WhatsApp. No new tab in the stack.

## A week with it

Monday: the weekly report is waiting in your channel before standup — with a flag that branded CPCs jumped and a drafted keyword change awaiting your tap. Tuesday: you voice-note three content ideas from the car; drafts are in your review doc by afternoon. Wednesday: it notices a competitor shipped a pricing change and proposes an update to your comparison page. Thursday: the event leads get their follow-up sequence — every send having cleared your approval queue in one batch. Friday: you spent the week on the offer redesign, which is the job.

## The first 30 days: what to hand it, in order

Marketing agents fail when teams hand them everything at once and drown in approvals. The on-ramp that works:

1. **Week 1 — the report.** Hand it the weekly marketing report first: zero risk, immediate time back, and it forces the tool connections (analytics, ad accounts, CRM) that everything else builds on.
2. **Week 2 — the watching.** Competitor watch and ad-account vigilance. Still read-only; now it's catching things you'd have missed.
3. **Week 3 — drafting.** Content and email drafts in your voice, batch-approved. This is where you calibrate taste — edit hard, it learns from every correction.
4. **Week 4 — the follow-through.** Campaign follow-ups and the [ads approval loop](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-ads). By now the approval cards have earned enough trust that taps are fast.

By day 30 the execution layer runs on rhythm, and the only marketing meetings left are about strategy — which was the point.

## Judgment stays human, and that's the point

Marketing is public. A wrong send, a tone-deaf post, a budget fat-fingered at midnight — these cost brand, not just money. Arlo's governance model is built for exactly this: **outbound and spend-touching actions wait on approval by default**, everything runs against policy, and every action lands in an [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). You get machine diligence on the execution layer without machine judgment on the brand layer.

Two adjacent jobs have their own pages: [AI agent for social media](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-social-media) for drafts, scheduling, and listening, and [AI research agent](/use-cases/ai-research-agent) for the sourced competitive and audience research that feeds a campaign.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI marketing agent?** An AI colleague that runs marketing's recurring execution — ad monitoring, content drafts, competitor watch, reporting, follow-ups — while routing consequential decisions to you for approval.

**Can it manage my ad campaigns?** Yes — it monitors spend across platforms, flags waste, and drafts changes that apply after your approval. See the dedicated [AI agent for ads](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-ads) guide.

**Will the content sound like AI wrote it?** It drafts in your voice from persistent memory of your brand, ICP, and past edits — and you approve before anything publishes. The more you edit, the better it matches you.

**Does it replace a marketer?** It replaces the execution grind inside a marketer's week. Positioning, offers, creative bets, and taste stay yours — which is precisely what the reclaimed hours are for.

**What does it cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Nothing — research, calls, generated images — sits behind a bigger plan. Admin controls, SSO, and audit export are available on request. Compare that to the execution hours marketing burns weekly.

---

# AI operations agent — the recurring work, actually run

> An AI operations agent owns the recurring work every company accretes: the weekly report, the reconciliation, the vendor follow-up, the checklist that must run on the 1st. It executes on schedule across your tools, handles the routine end to end, and escalates exceptions with context. Arlo runs ops from Slack, WhatsApp, or a text, asking first on money or anything unclear.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-operations-agent

Operations is the part of the company that must happen again next week. Reports, reconciliations, renewals, orders, checklists, chases — none of it is strategy, all of it is load-bearing, and it quietly consumes the sharpest generalists in the building. The test for an [AI operations agent](/glossary/ai-employee) is simple: can you hand it a recurring job, and stop thinking about that job — without losing the ability to check what happened?

## The jobs it takes

- **Scheduled reports that write themselves** — the Monday metrics summary, the month-end pack, the client rollup: pulled from your tools, assembled in your format, delivered where people read. If a number can't be pulled, the report says so instead of guessing.
- **Reconciliation and record hygiene** — [the money chase](/use-cases/ai-finance-agent), inventory counts, CRM truth, the spreadsheet that mirrors the tracker. Kept consistent as a side effect of running, not as a Friday penance.
- **Vendor and partner follow-through** — the PO that hasn't shipped, the contract renewal in 30 days, the support ticket a supplier went quiet on. Chased by email, and [by phone](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls) when email stalls.
- **Checklists that cannot be skipped** — onboarding, offboarding, month-open, incident follow-ups: every step executed or explicitly flagged, never silently dropped.
- **Exception handling with judgment routing** — the routine 95% runs; the weird 5% (mismatched invoice, angry reply, missing data) escalates to you with the context attached. That split — routine automated, exceptions human — is the entire craft of reliable ops automation.

## Why governance is the feature, not the caveat

Ops work touches money, customers, and records — exactly where silent automation failures compound. Arlo's model fits ops precisely: scoped access per tool, a [human check](/glossary/human-in-the-loop) before anything that moves money, can't be undone, or wasn't clearly asked for, and a full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) per run — so "what ran, what changed, who approved" always has an answer. You can also tell Arlo to always ask before certain actions, and drop that as the runs prove boring, which is how trust is supposed to accrue.

## Starting well

Hand it one recurring job with a clear definition of done — the weekly report is the classic first move. Watch two cycles, read what it did, add the next job. Teams that scale this way end up with an ops layer that runs itself, with humans holding only exceptions and design — which is what ops leadership was supposed to be.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI operations agent?** An AI that owns recurring operational work — scheduled reports, reconciliations, vendor chases, checklists — executing the routine and escalating exceptions to humans with context.

**How is it different from workflow automation like Zapier?** Rule-based automation breaks on anything it wasn't scripted for. An ops agent handles the messy middle — unstructured replies, judgment calls about escalation, tools without APIs — and reports in plain language.

**Can it work with our legacy systems?** Yes — for software with no API, Arlo logs in through a secure browser session and operates the interface like a person, including [bulk data entry](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-data-entry).

**What happens when something goes wrong mid-run?** Exceptions stop and escalate with context rather than pushing through. Every run is logged, so failures are visible, not silent.

**What does it cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, then Plus at $20 a month for $100 of usage or Max at $100 a month for $500 of usage. Weigh that against the generalist hours ops currently consumes.

---

# AI research agent — sourced answers, not link dumps

> An AI research agent takes a real question — a market, a prospect, a vendor comparison, a regulation — works the open web and your own tools, and comes back with a sourced answer you can check, not ten blue links. Arlo runs research from the thread you're in (iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp), cites what it found, says what it couldn't verify, and files the result wherever your team keeps knowledge.

Updated: 2026-08-08 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-research-agent

Most "research" at work is not a literature review — it's an hour of tabs. Who are this prospect's competitors? What does this vendor actually charge? Is this regulation going to touch us? What happened in our space this week? The information exists; the hour doesn't. An AI research agent absorbs exactly that class of work: real questions, worked properly, returned as answers with receipts.

The bar that separates a research agent from a chatbot is **sourcing**. A chatbot answers from memory, confidently, sometimes wrongly. A research agent goes and looks — and shows you where it looked, so trust never has to be blind.

## What Arlo researches

- **Prospects and accounts** — before the call: what the company does, who's who, recent news, stack hints, the competitor they probably use. Delivered as a brief in your thread, [feeding the pipeline](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-lead-generation) directly.
- **Markets and competitors** — pricing pages, positioning shifts, funding, feature launches. One-off deep dives, or a standing watch that pings your channel when something actually changed.
- **Vendors and tools** — "compare these three payroll providers for a 12-person US team" returns a table with real prices, real limitations, and a recommendation you can interrogate.
- **Questions with stakes** — the regulation, the tax rule, the platform policy. Arlo reads the primary source, quotes it, links it, and flags where interpretation ends and a professional should begin.
- **Your own tools** — half of "research" is internal: what did we say to this customer last quarter, which deals mentioned this feature, what did the retro conclude? Arlo searches your connected tools alongside the web, in one pass.

## What a good answer looks like

One message, three parts: **the answer** (direct, opinionated where you asked for judgment), **the evidence** (sources linked inline, quoted where wording matters), and **the honest edges** (what couldn't be verified, what's behind a paywall, what changed recently enough to re-check). If a claim matters to a decision, you can tap through and see it yourself — and because every run keeps its [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail), the sources are still attached when someone asks "where did this number come from?" three weeks later.

## Research that lands somewhere

A research agent that answers in chat and evaporates is half a tool. Arlo files results where your team will find them again — the CRM record, the Notion page, the deal doc — as a side effect of answering. Ask once, keep forever. And for recurring questions ("what changed in our space this week?"), the research becomes a standing brief delivered on schedule, not a task someone has to remember.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI research agent?** An AI that works real questions — markets, prospects, vendors, regulations — across the open web and your connected tools, and returns sourced, checkable answers instead of link lists.

**How is it different from asking ChatGPT?** Grounding and delivery. Arlo researches live sources and your own tools, cites what it found, flags what it couldn't verify, answers in the thread your team already uses, and files the result where it belongs.

**Can it monitor a topic continuously?** Yes — standing watches on competitors, keywords, or market topics that report to your channel when something genuinely changed, not on a timer full of nothing.

**Does it make things up?** It's built not to: answers are grounded in retrieved sources, uncertainty is stated, and unverifiable claims get flagged rather than smoothed over. The sources stay attached for checking.

**What does it cost?** Arlo is free to start with $10 of usage a month, and that includes calls and bookings, not only chat. Plus is $20 a month for $100 of usage, and Max is $100 a month for $500 of usage. Deep research isn't gated behind a bigger plan.

---

# AI sales agent — pipeline follow-through, not just outreach

> An AI sales agent works your pipeline instead of just spraying outreach: it keeps the CRM updated as a side effect of real activity, chases every follow-up before it goes cold, preps you for each call, drafts personalized outreach for your approval, and can pick up the phone. Arlo does this from iMessage, Slack, or WhatsApp, and shows you its outreach before it goes unless you say just send.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-sales-agent

"AI sales agent" usually conjures one image: a bot blasting sequences at strangers. That version exists, and buyers have learned to smell it. The version that actually moves revenue is less glamorous — it's the agent that makes sure nothing in your pipeline dies of neglect. Deals are lost to silence far more often than to competitors: the demo follow-up that went out three days late, the champion who changed jobs unnoticed, the proposal sitting unopened with no nudge.

An AI sales agent built as a [colleague](/glossary/ai-colleague) — rather than a spam cannon — works that neglect layer. For the team-wide picture, see the companion guide to an [AI assistant for sales teams](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-sales); this page is about the agent working the pipeline itself.

## What Arlo does in your pipeline

- **CRM hygiene as a side effect** — after the call or the thread, Arlo updates the record: stage, next step, notes. Reps stop doing data entry; managers stop reading fiction in the pipeline review.
- **Follow-ups that never slip** — every open deal has a next touch; when a thread goes quiet past its window, Arlo drafts the nudge and shows it to you, or sends it if you've told it to just send. Silence stops being a stage.
- **Meeting prep in your thread** — before each call: who they are, what happened last time, deal state, what you promised. Delivered by text, where you'll actually see it.
- **Outreach drafts, shown first** — personalized from the CRM, your notes, and the prospect's actual context. You see what Arlo wrote before it goes, unless you say to just send; volume never outruns judgment.
- **The phone, when it's faster** — [Arlo places real calls](/compare/ai-assistants-that-can-make-phone-calls): confirming the meeting, chasing the missing signature, reaching the prospect who never answers email — then logs the outcome to the CRM.
- **Pipeline answers on demand** — "what's stalled over 14 days?" "what closed this week?" — asked in Slack, answered from the CRM among 3,000+ integrations.

## Agent vs sequence tool

| | Sequence/outreach tools | Arlo |
|---|---|---|
| Sends bulk cadences | ✓ Their whole job | Drafts, shows you first |
| Keeps CRM true to reality | — | ✓ Side effect of activity |
| Chases existing pipeline | — | ✓ Core job |
| Preps you for calls | — | ✓ In your thread |
| Makes real phone calls | — | ✓ |
| Governance | Send-first | Does clear asks, asks first on money or anything unclear, full [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail) |

Sequence tools have a job at the very top of the funnel. The agent's job is everything after a human enters the picture — where deals are actually won and lost.

## Why draft-first sells better

Every AI-written email that reaches a prospect is your reputation on loan. When Arlo writes outreach in its own words, it shows you the draft before it goes, unless you've told it to just send. That means personalization at machine scale with a human's name honestly on it. You can approve routine touches in seconds and hand-edit the ones that matter; either way, buyers don't get the smell of automation.

Selling is only half the revenue loop. Once a deal closes, the same colleague can run the coverage layer behind it — see [AI agent for customer success](/use-cases/ai-agent-for-customer-success) for renewal runway, health signals, and QBR prep.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI sales agent?** An AI that works your pipeline: CRM updates as a side effect, follow-ups on schedule, meeting prep, outreach drafts you see first, and real phone calls — rather than just bulk sequences.

**Will it spam my prospects?** No. Arlo only reaches out when you ask, and when it writes the message itself, it shows you the draft before it goes unless you've said to just send. That's the difference between personalization and spam.

**Can it update Salesforce or HubSpot?** Arlo connects to major CRMs among 3,000+ integrations and updates records as a side effect of calls, threads, and tasks — see the [HubSpot guide](/use-cases/ai-assistant-for-hubspot) for that stack.

**Can it actually call prospects?** It places real calls for meeting confirmations, chases, and reachability — and it keeps the transcript, so you can ask how it went or have the outcome logged to the CRM. Cold-call campaigns aren't the job; follow-through is.

**How is this different from your AI assistant for sales page?** That guide covers the team-wide assistant (channels, reporting, coordination). This one covers the agent working pipeline mechanics. Same Arlo underneath — the pages exist because people search for both.

---

# AI scheduling assistant — calendar without the back-and-forth

> An AI scheduling assistant manages your calendar like a human assistant would: it finds times, sends invites, handles the reschedule ping-pong, guards your focus blocks, and briefs you each morning. Arlo does this from the channels you already use — text it from iMessage or Slack and it negotiates the rest, asking you first when several times fit or the request is unclear.

Updated: 2026-07-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-scheduling-assistant

Scheduling is the purest coordination tax in work: nobody's job, everybody's problem, and every meeting costs three emails before it exists. Scheduling links solved a slice of it — for meetings where you're comfortable sending a booking page. Everything else still turns into ping-pong: the six-person sync, the external partner who "can do Tuesday, actually no," the double-booked Thursday that needs triage.

An AI scheduling assistant handles the whole category the way a human [executive assistant](/glossary/ai-executive-assistant) would — by owning the back-and-forth, not by handing the other person a form.

## What Arlo handles

- **Finding time** — "Get me 30 minutes with Dana and Priya next week" → Arlo checks calendars, proposes options, negotiates by email if needed, and sends the invite once it's settled.
- **The reschedule ping-pong** — when someone bails, Arlo re-runs the negotiation and fixes the chain reaction, not just the one slot.
- **Guarding focus** — tell it your rules once ("no meetings before 10, keep Fridays clear") and it enforces them in every negotiation, forever. That's what persistent memory is for.
- **The morning brief** — one message each morning in your texts: today's meetings, what moved overnight, what conflicts need a call.
- **External niceties** — right tone with a customer, right firmness with a vendor, time zones handled without comment.
- **When email stalls, the phone works** — for the clinic, the venue, the contractor who never answers email, Arlo can [simply call](/use-cases/ai-assistant-you-can-text-and-call) and book it.

The interface is the channel you're already in. Text from iMessage, ask in Slack or WhatsApp, or say it on a call. No new app; the calendar just starts behaving.

For a meeting with several people, where the work is asking everyone and chasing the ones who don't answer, see [an AI that schedules meetings with several people](/use-cases/ai-that-schedules-meetings-with-multiple-people).

## Scheduling links vs a scheduling assistant

| Situation | Booking link | Arlo |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound "grab time with me" | ✓ Great | ✓ |
| Multi-person internal sync | — | ✓ |
| External meeting with a VIP you'd never send a link | — | ✓ |
| Reschedules and conflict triage | — | ✓ |
| Enforcing your calendar rules | Static rules | ✓ Learned, contextual |
| Booking things that need a phone call | — | ✓ |

Links and assistants coexist fine — keep the link for inbound requests, and hand everything with more than one moving part to the assistant.

## Trust, because your calendar is your day

Calendar mistakes are expensive: a wrong invite embarrasses you in front of exactly the people you scheduled with. Arlo's governance applies to scheduling like everything else. A clear ask, like "move my 3pm with Dana to Thursday at 2," runs and Arlo tells you it's done. It asks first when several times fit, when it would reach someone you didn't mention, or when an email it wrote would go to someone who hasn't seen it, unless you said to just send. Every action lands in the [audit trail](/glossary/ai-agent-audit-trail). The practical result is that you can hand over the calendar in week one without handing over the ability to embarrass you.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is an AI scheduling assistant?** An AI that owns the work around your calendar — finding times, sending invites, negotiating reschedules, enforcing your rules, and briefing you daily — rather than just displaying a booking page.

**How is Arlo different from Calendly?** Calendly hands your availability to the other person as a form. Arlo does the negotiating itself — including multi-person syncs, VIPs, reschedules, and bookings that require a phone call — and asks you first when the right time isn't clear.

**Can I use it entirely over text?** Yes. Text scheduling requests from iMessage or SMS like you'd text an assistant; Arlo handles the rest and confirms in the same thread. Slack, WhatsApp, and calls work too.

**Will it move meetings without asking?** Only the ones you clearly asked it to move. "Push my 2pm to tomorrow" just happens, and Arlo tells you what it did. It asks first when several times fit, when a move would reach someone you didn't mean, or when it would go beyond what you asked. You can also tell it to always ask before moving certain meetings.

**Does it handle time zones?** Yes — proposals and invites resolve each participant's time zone automatically, which is table stakes for an assistant negotiating across companies.

---

# An AI that schedules meetings with several people for you

> An AI scheduling assistant can set up a meeting with several people by checking your calendar, offering open times to everyone, collecting their answers and booking the slot that works. Arlo does this from a text or a Slack message, for up to 20 people. It emails them from your own inbox or texts them, and asks you before it reaches out and again before it books.

Updated: 2026-09-23 · Canonical: https://www.arlo.sh/use-cases/ai-that-schedules-meetings-with-multiple-people

Getting one person on a call is easy. Getting five is a project. Someone can do Tuesday but not the morning, someone never answers, and by the time three people agree the fourth has filled the slot. A booking link doesn't fix it, because a link only works when one person picks a time for themselves. With a group, somebody still has to collect everyone's answers and find the overlap.

That somebody can be an assistant you text. This page explains how Arlo does it, what it asks you along the way, and where it stops.

## How it works

1. **You text the request.** Something like *"set up a 45-minute meeting with Dana, Priya and Sam next week about the Q4 plan"*, with their emails or phone numbers if Arlo doesn't already know them. You can do this in iMessage or in a Slack DM.
2. **Arlo looks at your calendar.** It reads your Google Calendar or Outlook and offers up to eight open times on weekdays between 9 and 5, no more than two a day (one before 3 pm, one after), within the next two weeks.
3. **It shows you the plan before anything goes out.** You see who it will contact, from which account, and the times it will offer, and nothing is sent until you reply yes.
4. **It asks everyone.** People with an email address get the message from your own Gmail or Outlook, so it comes from you. People you only have a phone number for get a text. By default, for more than three people it sends each one a private poll link where they tick the times that work; for a smaller group it sends each person a message listing the times.
5. **It follows up once.** Anyone who hasn't answered gets one reminder with the poll link.
6. **It books the time, after one more yes.** When a slot works for everyone, Arlo asks you to confirm, checks your calendar again for conflicts, then puts the event on your calendar with invites to everyone who has an email address, and sends each person a short confirmation, by text for anyone you only have a number for.

## What it won't do yet

- It doesn't see other people's calendars. It asks them, the way a person would. Even if your company shares calendars, it still asks each person and waits for their answer.
- It doesn't reschedule. Once the meeting is booked, changes are up to you. If no time suits the whole group, it stops and asks you what to do.
- Video links depend on your calendar. With a work or school Outlook calendar it can add a Microsoft Teams link. On Google Calendar it doesn't add a Meet link, so add one to the event yourself.
- It handles up to 20 people, meetings of 5 minutes to 8 hours, and you start it from iMessage or a Slack DM.

## When a link or a poll is all you need

If one person is booking time with you, a scheduling link such as Calendly is faster than any assistant. If you just want to see when a group is free and don't mind chasing people yourself, a free poll like Doodle or When2meet does that. An assistant earns its keep when you'd otherwise be the one writing the message, reminding the person who didn't answer, and sending the invite at the end. See [AI scheduling assistant](/use-cases/ai-scheduling-assistant) for the rest of what Arlo does with your calendar.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an AI schedule a meeting with several people?** Yes. Arlo checks your calendar, offers open times to everyone by email, text or a private poll link, follows up once with anyone who hasn't answered, and books the time that works once you approve it. It handles up to 20 people.

**Does it need everyone's calendar?** No. It only reads your calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook, and asks the other people which times work for them.

**Will it send messages without asking me?** Not for a group meeting. It shows you who it will contact and the times it will offer, waits for your yes, and asks again before it books the meeting and sends the invites.

**Can it add a video call link?** With a work or school Outlook calendar it can add a Microsoft Teams link. On Google Calendar it doesn't add a Google Meet link, so you'd add one yourself.

**What happens if someone can't make it after it's booked?** Arlo doesn't reschedule. Move or cancel the meeting yourself in your calendar.