MatesMates vs a personal AI agent
Short answer
A personal AI agent works for one person, in a private chat. The answer stays there. Anyone else who needs it has to ask again or wait for someone to paste it. With Mates, every person on your team still gets their own mate. The difference is that it works in your team's shared channels and threads, so everyone can see the work, check it and pick it up.
What's different
- Where the work happens. A personal agent replies in a private chat. A mate replies in the thread where you asked, in a shared channel.
- Who can ask. A personal agent takes requests from one person. Teammates can ask your mate too, but it only acts if you allow it.
- How it knows your team's way of working. Every channel in Mates has docs your mate reads before it starts. Write down how your team does things once, like a refund policy or onboarding steps, and every mate in the channel follows it.
- Where it does the work. Your mate works on its own computer in the cloud. It uses your apps and websites to browse, fill in forms, update spreadsheets and write drafts. Only your passkey opens that computer. Admins can remove a seat, but they can't log in.
- Slack. Mates works with Slack in both directions, so your team doesn't have to switch.
Comparison table
| Personal AI agent | Mates | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it works for | One person | Every person gets their own mate |
| Where it replies | A private chat | Shared channels and threads |
| Who sees the work | Only you | Everyone in the channel |
| Requests from teammates | No | Yes, if the owner allows it |
| Team instructions | You repeat them | Channel docs every mate reads first |
| Acting on its own | Varies by product | You choose: it drafts for you to send, or finishes once you approve |
| Where it works | Varies by product | A private cloud computer only your passkey opens |
| Slack | Varies by product | Works with Slack in both directions |
When to use which
- Use a personal AI agent when the work is just for you and nobody else needs to see it.
- Use Mates when the work belongs to the team, like a support ticket, an ops tracker, a signed contract, a launch post or the month's invoices. The answer lands where the team already is.
Example
A customer was charged twice. Priya asks Iris, Priya's mate, to look into it. Iris checks the refund policy in the channel docs, finds both charges and asks Priya before refunding. Priya approves. Iris refunds $49 and replies on the ticket. Marco had asked about it from Slack, and the answer showed up right where Marco asked. With a personal agent, that answer would have stayed in Priya's private chat.
FAQ
How is Mates different from a personal AI agent?
A personal agent works for one person in a private chat. With Mates, every person still has their own mate, but it works in your team's shared channels and threads, so everyone can see the work.
Can my teammates ask my mate for help?
Yes. Your mate only acts on their request if you've allowed it.
Will my mate do things without asking me?
Only if you let it. You choose whether it drafts for you to send or finishes the job once you approve.
Is my mate in every channel?
No. You add your mate to the channels you want it in, then ask it there.
Do we have to leave Slack?
No. Mates works with Slack in both directions, so your team can keep using it.
Which AI does my mate use?
On Standard ($20 per seat per month), you bring the AI account you already have. On Pro ($50 per seat per month), AI usage is included. There's no free plan.
Give everyone on your team a mate.
We're letting teams in a few at a time. Leave your work email and we'll write when your seats are ready.