The field in October 2026
- Grok Bot (xAI): always-on Bots with a shared cloud computer, teach-a-task skills, routines and multiple Bots that coordinate. Included with SuperGrok and Cursor paid plans; iPhone, Android, macOS and Windows.
- ChatGPT dots and ChatGPT Work (OpenAI): dots, launched at DevDay on 29 September, are always-on agents that learn what matters to you and handle ongoing work, available on Pro and Business Premium in eligible markets. ChatGPT Work, from July, turns goals into documents, decks and spreadsheets across your work apps on Business and Enterprise plans.
- Claude Cowork (Anthropic): Claude completes tasks across your files, calendar, email, browser and connected tools. On Pro and Max it has been merging into ordinary conversations since 16 September, and from 6 October new tasks there start in the cloud. Included in paid Claude plans.
- Microsoft Copilot: the relaunched Copilot app bundles a Cowork agent and an Autopilot section for always-on agents, and fits naturally if you live in Outlook, OneDrive and Microsoft 365.
- Meta Muse: launched on 8 September, a personal agent with its own cloud computer that you message in its own app or through WhatsApp. It books, fills in forms and shops, asks before purchases and other sensitive actions, and pays with single-use card details through Stripe Link. There is free access with paid options, it is limited to the US and Canada for now, and it reached number one on the US App Store within weeks (The Rundown, TechCrunch).
- Hermes Agent (free, open source): an agent you run yourself, on your own computer or a small server, with the AI model of your choice.
Side by side
| Grok Bot | ChatGPT dots / Work | Claude Cowork | Meta Muse | Hermes Agent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | No | No (paid plans) | No (paid plans) | Yes, plus paid options | Software free; you pay for the model and hardware |
| Phone apps | iPhone and Android | ChatGPT apps | Claude apps (cloud tasks) | iPhone, Android, web and WhatsApp | Via chat apps you connect |
| Keeps working with your phone off | Yes, cloud computer | Yes | Yes, cloud tasks | Yes, cloud computer | Yes, if your machine or server stays on |
| Learns a task by watching you | Yes (recordings up to 10 min) | Learns preferences over time | Via saved skills and instructions | Builds its own connectors to services | Via skills and memory files |
| Your logins | Hands control back; 1Password with approval | Takes over for sign-ins and confirmations | Uses connected tools and your browser | Separate credential store; single-use cards | Whatever you connect yourself |
| Best fit | Repetitive web admin across many sites | People already deep in ChatGPT | Files, documents and office work | Errands and shopping, US and Canada only | Privacy and cost control, if you are technical |
Features and plans as described on each company's own pages and launch coverage up to 9 October 2026. All of these products are changing month to month; check before you subscribe.
Which one, for whom
- Pick Grok Bot if your chores are spread across lots of websites without good integrations, you like the idea of recording a task once, and you want several Bots working in parallel.
- Pick ChatGPT dots or Work if you already pay for ChatGPT and want agents inside the tool you use every day.
- Pick Claude Cowork if your work is mostly documents, spreadsheets, files and email, and you want to see every step.
- Pick Microsoft Copilot if your organisation runs on Microsoft 365 and has approved it.
- Pick Meta Muse if you are in the US or Canada, want a free way to start, and like the idea of sending errands through WhatsApp.
- Pick Hermes Agent if you are comfortable with some set-up, want control over where your data goes, and want to choose a low-cost or local model.
Many people will end up with two: one general assistant they already pay for, and one agent for the job it does best.
What they have in common
Every one of these agents can make mistakes in your real accounts, can be misled by instructions hidden in web pages, and uses far more computing than a chat, so usage limits matter. The set-up advice in Part 3 (separate email, separate card, approvals, start small) applies to all of them.
Further reading: our comparison Claude Cowork vs Codex vs Kimi, the Hermes Agent tips for non-technical users, and Ollama vs LM Studio vs Jan if you want to run models on your own computer.
Quick questions
Is there a free alternative to Grok Bot?
Meta Muse has free access, though only in the US and Canada for now. Hermes Agent is free and open source, but you supply the computer and pay for the AI model you connect, unless you run one locally.
Which agents work on Android?
Grok Bot added Android on 2 September 2026, and Meta Muse launched on Android in September. ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot all have Android apps, though agent features vary by plan.
Which is the safest?
None is safe by default. Safety comes mostly from how you set it up: limited access, approvals and a separate email and card.