What is an AI coworker?
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An AI coworker is an AI you add to your team like a new hire. You reach it where your team already talks, in Slack, Microsoft Teams, Telegram or email, and you give it work in plain language. Instead of just answering, it goes and does the job in your tools, then reports back or asks when it needs a decision.
Coworker or assistant?
An AI assistant helps you while you work: it drafts, summarizes and answers questions. An AI coworker takes work off your plate: it works on its own schedule or when something happens, remembers your business, and keeps going without you in the loop for every step. Many products sit somewhere in between.
The five kinds
AI operators
A coworker that runs whole areas of the business, from the website and sales to support and marketing. Examples: Crevio, Polsia.
General AI coworkers
A teammate you message like a colleague and hand any task to, across the tools your team uses. Examples: Viktor, Claude (Team), ChatGPT Business.
Office-suite assistants
AI built into the email, docs and chat you already pay for. Strong on your files, lighter on action. Examples: Microsoft 365 Copilot, Gemini for Google Workspace.
Role specialists
An AI hire for one job, like sales outreach, meetings or social posts. Deep in its lane, quiet outside it. Examples: Marblism, 11x, Artisan.
Build-your-own platforms
Tools for designing your own AI coworkers. More setup, more control. Examples: Dust, Relevance AI.
What a good one does
- Works where you work. If your team lives in Slack, the coworker should too.
- Finishes the job. Drafting is the floor. Sending, updating and following up is the point.
- Works without being chased. Schedules and triggers, like "every Monday" or "when a new lead arrives".
- Asks before anything risky. Approvals for sending, spending or deleting, and a record of what it did.
- Remembers. Your business, customers and past decisions, so you don't re-explain.
What it costs
AI built into Google Workspace starts around $7 a user, Microsoft 365 Copilot around $18 to $21 a user, and most dedicated AI coworkers run $20 to $100 a month, often with usage credits on top. Specialist AI sales reps are priced like hires, often tens of thousands a year. See our pricing comparison.
How to hire your first one
- Pick the kind before the brand: office-suite AI, a general teammate, a specialist, or an operator for the whole business.
- Choose one where your team already talks.
- Start with one recurring job and approvals switched on.
- Review its work weekly for a month, then hand it more.
Our top pick for small teams is Crevio. Some links on this site are affiliate links, so see the full ranking and our disclosure before you decide.
Questions people ask
Will an AI coworker replace my staff?
For most small teams it takes the repetitive part of several jobs, like first replies, follow-ups, reports and posting, so people can spend time on the work that needs them.
What should I give an AI coworker first?
A recurring job with a clear result: answering common customer emails, a weekly sales report, or following up on leads that went quiet. Keep approvals on until it's reliable.
Does an AI coworker need its own account in our tools?
Usually it connects through official integrations you approve, like Slack, Gmail or your CRM. Pick one that lets you limit which tools and channels it can touch.