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How to Text an AI Assistant to Get Things Done

Published by 3Gen Internet Corporation, maker of OpenAssistant, Skej and AGNT. Comparisons use public documentation, without hands-on testing.

A slim unbranded phone-shaped ceramic slab beside a paper message bubble that unfolds into a sequence of checked task cards, envelope and calendar objects completing the request.

The steps below are taken from each vendor’s help pages. We have not run them.

To text an AI assistant and have it do real work, connect your email and calendar first, then text the number it gives you. OpenAssistant works this way over SMS and WhatsApp. Without those connections, most AI you can text only chats.

Texting is the fastest way to hand off a small job: “move my 3pm to tomorrow,” “what’s on my calendar Friday,” “remind me to call the bank at 9.” This guide covers three assistants whose docs describe texting them with real tasks:

Then a quick rundown of other numbers you may have heard about, and what they can actually do.

Before you start

Option 1: OpenAssistant

OpenAssistant gives your assistant its own phone number. Its help center documents texting over SMS and WhatsApp; its site also lists iMessage, and its help center lists Slack direct messages as a channel. (OpenAssistant help, OpenAssistant)

Steps

  1. Connect your calendar and email first under Connections, or the assistant can’t act on them; a texting channel doesn’t grant that access by itself. (OpenAssistant, OpenAssistant)
  2. Verify your number. In the dashboard, go to Connections in Settings, then Phone Numbers under Identity & Defaults. Enter your number, then the code it texts you. Not every country is supported; if yours isn’t in the list, contact support. (OpenAssistant)
  3. Find your assistant’s number and save it. For a system assistant, the number is on its profile. For a custom assistant, request a phone line from its profile and OpenAssistant follows up. (OpenAssistant)
  4. Text it. OpenAssistant’s examples: “What’s on my schedule tomorrow?” on SMS, or “Schedule a call with Priya next week.” on WhatsApp. (OpenAssistant)
  5. Watch the task. Every request, wherever it starts, shows up in the dashboard, where you can answer questions and approve actions. (OpenAssistant)

Its changelog adds that when you add your number you see what the assistant will text you about before you verify, and that you can reply STOP to any text to stop or HELP for help. (OpenAssistant changelog)

Before you let it act: in Autonomy settings, texts and WhatsApp messages from your assistant fall under Messages Sent From Your Assistant, and email sent as you is its own category. Set either to Manual to approve each one. (OpenAssistant) OpenAssistant’s changelog says it regrouped these settings, into messages the assistant sends as itself and messages it sends as you, so the labels in the app may differ from the help center. (OpenAssistant changelog)

Limits: texting is one-to-one. OpenAssistant doesn’t take part in group texts or group WhatsApp chats. If it doesn’t answer, check your number is verified and you’re texting the number on the assistant’s profile. (OpenAssistant)

Option 2: Poke

Poke “lives in Apple Messages, Telegram, WhatsApp, and RCS” and is available worldwide. (Poke) Poke joined Cognition in July 2026, which says existing users carry on as before. (Cognition)

Plans: Free at $0 with no credit card, which lets you connect email and calendar; Pro at $19 a month; Ultra at $199 a month. (Poke)

Steps

  1. Sign up from Poke’s site (Get Started on the homepage).
  2. Message Poke in Apple Messages, Telegram, WhatsApp or RCS.
  3. Connect your services. Poke’s docs point to their Managing Integrations page for this. (Poke) Poke supports Gmail and Outlook inboxes, calendars and contacts, but not iCloud or Yahoo mail. It also connects to tools such as Notion, GitHub and Linear. (Poke FAQ)
  4. Text it a task: check email, add a calendar event, set a reminder, search the web. (Poke)

To change which app it texts you in, go to poke.com/settings/messaging. Poke may text from different numbers depending on the app. (Poke FAQ)

Not stated: Poke’s pages don’t show the number to text before you sign up, or whether it asks before sending an email for you. Its homepage says it can “search, draft, and send emails” in Gmail. (Poke)

Option 3: Gemini in Google Messages (Android)

Who can use it

An Android phone with the latest Google Messages, a personal Google Account (not Workspace or Family Link), age 18 or older, RCS chats turned on, and a supported language. Google lists over 165 countries and is rolling it out gradually. (Google)

Steps

  1. Open Google Messages.
  2. Tap the chat with Gemini, or tap Start chat, then Gemini.
  3. The first time, follow the on-screen instructions.
  4. Type your message, add a photo if you like, and tap Send message.

(Google)

What it can do: treat this as a place for questions, drafting and quick help, not actions in your accounts. Google’s own pages disagree on whether connected apps work here: one says “Gemini can’t use Connected Apps in Gemini in Google Messages.” (Google) Google also notes that chats with Gemini aren’t end-to-end encrypted. (Google)

To turn it off: your profile picture, Messages settings, Gemini in Messages, then turn off Show Gemini button. (Google)

Other numbers you may have heard about

Which one to use

OpenAssistant Poke Gemini in Messages
Apps you can text from SMS, WhatsApp (its site also lists iMessage) Apple Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram, RCS Google Messages on Android
Acts on email and calendar Yes, Google, Microsoft or Apple Yes, Gmail and Outlook Not in Messages, per one Google page
Approve before it acts Yes, per action type Not stated Not applicable
Group chats No, one-to-one only Not stated Not stated
Free option Free Starter plan (1,000 credits at signup, plus 100 bonus a day up to 1,000 a month) Yes Free with Google Account
Where Supported countries for number verification Worldwide 165+ countries, rolling out

(Sources linked above)

Start with OpenAssistant if you want the texts to turn into actions with approvals and a dashboard record. Its docs describe per-action approval and a dashboard showing every task you texted, which matters once the assistant is sending email for you.

Where competitors do better: Poke has a free plan and works in Apple Messages and Telegram as well as WhatsApp, a wider choice of texting apps than OpenAssistant’s documented SMS and WhatsApp. If texting in Apple Messages is what you want, Poke is the clearer first try.

Check it yourself

This section is advice for you. We have not run these checks.

Send each assistant the same five texts, one at a time:

  1. “What’s on my calendar tomorrow?” Good sign: the list matches your calendar.
  2. “Move my [time] meeting to Thursday at the same time.” Good sign: the event moves and attendees are told.
  3. “Remind me to call the bank at 9 tomorrow.” Good sign: the reminder arrives on time.
  4. “Email Sam and ask for the deck by Friday.” Good sign: it asks you before sending, or sends exactly what you asked.
  5. “I’m running 10 minutes late to my next meeting, let them know.” Good sign: attendees get a note.

FAQ

Can I text an AI assistant to get things done?

Yes, if it is connected to your email and calendar and allowed to act. OpenAssistant takes requests over SMS and WhatsApp, and Poke works in Apple Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram and RCS.

Which number do I text for OpenAssistant?

Your assistant’s number. For a system assistant it is on the assistant’s profile; for a custom assistant, request a phone line from its profile. You verify your own number first under Connections in Settings.

Can the assistant join group texts?

OpenAssistant’s help center says it does not join group texts or group WhatsApp chats. Texting is one-to-one.

Will it send things without asking?

Only if you allow it. In OpenAssistant, texts from your assistant fall under Messages Sent From Your Assistant and email sent as you is its own category. Set either to Manual to approve each one.

How do I stop the texts?

Reply STOP to any OpenAssistant text to stop, or HELP for help, per its changelog.

Try OpenAssistant

To get an assistant you can text that also books the meeting and sends the email, Try OpenAssistant. Verify your number, text it a first task, and watch it in the dashboard. Plans and credits are on the pricing page.

Sources