Author tests twelve AI agents as potential chief of staffs, highlighting proactive capabilities

An author recently evaluated a dozen different AI agents to assess their potential as a personal chief of staff, noting that these tools represent a significant advancement in artificial intelligence this year. The agents tested included Thine, Instinct, ChatGPT’s Dots, Town, Hark, Muse, Poke, Ambi, Sentience, Extra, Slashy, and Claude Duet. These advanced agents differ from older chatbots by possessing the ability to act autonomously, such as conducting online research, purchasing items, scheduling appointments, or completing forms. The author observed that connecting certain agents, like Thine and Dots, to personal data sources—including email, calendar, documents, and Granola meeting transcripts—provided them with comprehensive context and the ability to understand commitments made during meetings. While some agents, such as Instinct, Hark, and Muse, offer free access, others require a paid subscription. The author plans to narrow the selection down to a few agents that exhibit distinct strengths after completing the comparative testing.