Buddy: Open-source Android app enables AI agents to control devices

Buddy is a new open-source Android application designed to allow AI agents to interact directly with a smartphone. Users can provide instructions via text or voice within a chat bubble, prompting the agent to read the screen, tap, and type across various applications to complete tasks.

Capabilities include summarizing notifications, managing shopping carts, checking flight prices, and responding to messages. The app runs a lightweight Alpine Linux environment to host agents such as Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Antigravity, or Grok. It supports existing subscriptions, API keys, or free models through OpenCode.

To ensure user control, Buddy requires manual approval before any action involving sending, posting, buying, or deleting is finalized. Users can pause the agent by touching the screen and can set specific rules for different apps, such as blocking access to banking or messaging services by default. The application is available via GitHub as an APK, as Google Play Store policies restrict apps that utilize accessibility services for autonomous actions.