Folk puts an AI assistant for work tasks in messaging apps
By Automate Basics, written with AI from TechCrunch's original
Folk is an AI assistant available through iMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram. TechCrunch reports that its beta can manage reminders, research topics, handle email and carry out tasks such as restaurant reservations.
What changed
Folk launched its beta in May 2026, giving users an AI assistant they can contact through iMessage, WhatsApp or Telegram, according to TechCrunch. Rather than requiring a separate conversation in a dedicated app, Folk is designed to take requests in messaging services people may already use.
TechCrunch reports that Folk can remember personal context, manage reminders, research topics, track flights and handle email. It can also carry out tasks such as making restaurant reservations. The assistant runs on its own private cloud computer, which TechCrunch says lets it run code and work through tasks with multiple steps. For someone at work, the relevant change is the ability to delegate a follow-up or research request by message, not just ask a chatbot for an answer.
Who can use Folk, and what does it cost?
Folk's beta is available for free, according to TechCrunch. The outlet also reports a Pro subscription costing $8.33 per month for people who want unlimited tasks running in the background. The source does not specify other limits on the free option, so that price alone does not show which everyday requests require a subscription.
Folk is reachable through iMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram. Its reported abilities span both personal and work-adjacent tasks, including reminders, research and email. TechCrunch does not describe a separate business plan or say whether an employer can administer accounts. Anyone considering it for company work should therefore check their workplace rules before sharing messages, email details or other work information with an assistant.
How do I try Folk for a work task?
A reminder or a bounded research question is a sensible first work task for Folk because TechCrunch identifies both as supported uses. Give the assistant enough context to make the request clear, then check whether its response captures the right deadline, person or question. If the task involves research, verify useful findings against the underlying information before passing them on.
Folk can also handle email and perform tasks with multiple steps, TechCrunch reports, but those requests may affect other people or services. Before relying on an external action, check the recipient, timing and requested outcome. The report does not explain what approval prompts Folk presents before sending an email or making a reservation, so do not assume every action waits for confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
Can Folk do more than answer questions?
Yes. TechCrunch reports that Folk can manage reminders, track flights, handle email and make restaurant reservations. It also runs on a private cloud computer that lets it run code and carry out tasks with multiple steps, rather than only replying to messages.
Is Folk free to use?
TechCrunch says Folk's beta is available for free. A Pro subscription costs $8.33 per month and includes unlimited tasks running in the background. The report does not spell out all limits of the free option or describe a separate business plan.
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Written with AI from TechCrunch's original and published after automatic checks: every figure here appears in the original, and no sentence is copied from it. The picture is AI-generated. The original is the authority.
Source: All the AI agents that can live in your text messages, TechCrunch, 3 Oct 2026.