TextGPT puts an AI assistant behind a phone number: send a text message, get a reply. No app, no account setup and no data connection.
SMS as the interface reaches people the app-based products simply do not. It works on a basic handset, in areas with signal but no usable data, and for anyone who has never installed an AI app and is not about to – which includes a great many older users, and a great many people for whom a smartphone data plan is a real cost. Choosing the lowest-common-denominator channel is a deliberate accessibility decision, not a technical shortcut.
The trade-offs come with the channel. There is no conversation interface to scroll, no file upload, and message costs may apply depending on your plan – so it suits quick questions rather than extended work. Anything sent by SMS also passes through your carrier, which is worth remembering before texting anything sensitive.
