Emergent, an Indian startup known for its innovative vibe-coding platform, has unveiled “Wingman,” a new autonomous AI agent focusing on messaging. This launch marks Emergent’s entry into a category of software that operates in the background to perform tasks, a concept made popular by tools like OpenClaw and Claude from Anthropic.
Based in Bengaluru, Emergent initially captured attention with its “vibe-coding” platform, which allows users without technical expertise to develop full-stack applications using natural-language prompts. Competing with platforms like Cursor and Replit, Emergent’s new initiative with Wingman moves from creation to execution, enabling AI agents to manage routine tasks across various tools and workflows.
“The logical progression for us was to see if we could assist users not just in software creation, but in autonomous operation through it,” stated Mukund Jha, co-founder and CEO of Emergent. “The transition is from software that supports a business to software that can actively manage it.”
Emergent reports that over eight million developers have utilized its vibe-coding platform to create and deploy software, boasting over 1.5 million monthly active users. Established in 2025, the startup secured $70 million in funding in January, achieving a valuation of $300 million, with investments from firms such as SoftBank, Khosla Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Wingman is crafted to function within messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, enabling users to allocate and track tasks through chat. The agent simultaneously operates in the background across linked tools like email, calendars, and office software. While it autonomously completes routine actions, it requests user consent for more significant tasks, according to the startup.
As autonomous AI agents become a critical area in the tech industry, more companies are developing tools to perform tasks for users. Projects like OpenClaw, formerly known as Clawdbot and Moltbot, have gained early adopter interest, while companies like Anthropic and Microsoft are also exploring this space with their agent-based systems.
Emergent aims to stand out by integrating Wingman into messaging applications like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Apple’s iMessage, allowing users to engage with the agent through chat rather than a new interface. The startup has also introduced “trust boundaries,” which let the agent perform routine tasks independently while seeking user approval for more critical actions, addressing concerns about fully autonomous systems.
Jha explained to JS that the decision to develop Wingman within messaging platforms was inspired by existing work habits. “A lot of work is already conducted through chat, voice, and email — requesting something, following up, sharing context, making decisions,” Jha noted. “These will increasingly be the primary ways we interact with agents as well.”
Despite its potential, Wingman faces challenges common to emerging AI agents. Jha mentioned that the system struggles with consistency in ambiguous situations, complex edge cases, unclear objectives, or workflows requiring significant human judgment.
Wingman is being introduced with a limited free trial, after which it will transition to a paid service. Existing Emergent users will be able to access the agent through their current accounts.
