{
  "id": 12974897,
  "title": "Hark Launches Free AI Assistant to Handle Tasks Before You Ask",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/hark-launches-free-ai-assistant-to-handle-tasks-before-you-ask",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-08T21:28:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRepublic",
    "slug": "techrepublic",
    "url": "https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-hark-pro-free-ai-assistant/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hark, an AI startup founded by Brett Adcock, has launched a free AI assistant called Hark Pro to handle everyday digital tasks and anticipate user needs. The service is available on web, iOS, and Android platforms, with paid plans offering higher usage limits. Hark Pro utilizes a cloud computer called Handoff, which can operate multiple browsers simultaneously and log into numerous websites on a user's behalf. It can perform various tasks, such as ordering groceries, paying bills, booking transportation, and handling other online errands. The AI also offers proactive suggestions, such as recognizing when a child's lunch card is running low and offering to refill it. Users can approve actions, such as paying a bill or canceling a subscription, with a single tap using Action Buttons. Hark Pro's effectiveness relies heavily on the amount of information users provide, as it remembers preferences, connects to services, and stores passwords and payment information in its encrypted vault. The company emphasizes that they cannot access the vault and promise not to sell user data or share it with advertisers. However, providing an AI with credentials, financial information, and personal communications poses significant security risks. Hark Pro joins a growing market of agentic AI products, including Meta's Muse Charm device, which is expected to launch in 2027 alongside Hark's hardware plans. Users should start with low-stakes tasks, review results before authorizing payments, and check company policies before connecting sensitive accounts to ensure proper control over what AI agents can do.",
  "summary": "Hark Pro offers free AI task automation on web, iOS and Android. Explore its pricing, proactive features and privacy trade-offs before connecting accounts. The post Hark Launches Free AI Assistant to Handle Tasks Before You Ask appeared first on TechRepublic .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}