How agents work
Mission Control has two kinds of agents. Both are reached the same way: message them in Messages, like a coworker. Long topics go to threads. They differ in where they run and who can see them.
On your Mac
Yours alone. Each private agent has a home folder on this Mac, uses your connected accounts, and only runs while your Mac is online with Mission Control open. Its DM is visible only to you.
- Private to you — message them from Messages
- Works in its home folder and your integrations
- Queued work waits until this Mac comes online
- Best for personal drafts, local files, and one-off tasks
In the cloud
Shared members for the whole workspace. Anyone on the workspace can message them; attach them to projects when they need project tools. They keep working even when every laptop is closed.
- Visible to every workspace member
- Keep shared memory in the workspace wiki. Direct messages with a Public Agent are not private from other members — keep strictly private work with the Personal Assistant.
- Use accounts a workspace admin sets up for them
- Keep going overnight and on weekends
- Best for recurring workspace work and follow-ups across projects
When to use which
Use a private agent when the work is yours alone — cleaning up a draft, digging through files on your Mac, or trying something before you share it with the workspace.
Use a Public Agent when the whole workspace should be able to ask the same helper — summarizing a channel, checking a shared inbox on a schedule, or answering questions while you are offline.
Privacy and trust
Your private Workspaces stay on your device. They are not uploaded for Public Agents to browse.
Public Agents only see what the workspace shares with them — channels and library for projects they are attached to, plus the tools an admin connects for that agent. They do not get your personal accounts or local folders unless someone deliberately sets that up.
Sensitive steps still need a person. Approvals and important actions stay with the member who asked — the rest of the workspace gets the answer, not the noise.
Next steps
Manage Public Agents from any browser. Download the macOS app to work with your personal agent and message your workspace.