How Zinley works
Five ideas explain the product. Together they turn an assistant that answers into a representative that can act with you or for you.
1. One disclosed identity
Zinley can have its own inbox, phone number, and contact card. The identity is stable across channels and makes two things clear: it is AI, and it is authorized by you.
Your personal phone number and email do not need to become the front door to every conversation.
2. Two modes of representation
On your behalf means Zinley works toward an agreed outcome while you are away: handling a call, following up by email, attending a meeting, running a first interview, researching, coordinating, or running a routine.
By your side means you remain in the conversation and Zinley joins it with you: as a disclosed co-participant, co-interviewer, translator, or observer with a defined speaking rule.
The same representative can switch modes per job. Say “Join this for me” when you are away or “Join me here” when you will attend too. The important part is stating the outcome, live role, authority boundary, and when the work must come back to you.
3. Context has a visible home
Zinley organizes context as it works:
- People keeps relationship context and open threads around a person.
- Topics keeps the timeline, findings, and pending work around a matter.
- Brief surfaces what changed, what needs you, and what comes next.
You can inspect and correct this context. Zinley should not rely on hidden memory for an important commitment.
4. Authority is bounded
Authority is separate from ability. Zinley may be able to write an email or place a call without being allowed to send, promise, purchase, or confirm something.
- Ask me first pauses external actions for your approval.
- Go ahead lets Zinley finish within the boundaries you set.
You can also define a narrower boundary inside each job. Start conservative, review the outcomes, then delegate more deliberately. See Authority & approvals.
5. Every job ends in a receipt
A representative must be accountable. After work, Zinley returns the result and enough context to understand it: who was involved, what happened, what was agreed, what remains open, and whether anything needs approval.
Receipts appear with the relevant calls, email threads, topics, and activity.
Cloud and connected devices
Zinley remains available from the cloud. A connected device extends where it can work: local files, a browser, or apps on that machine. Use Zinley's computer for work that should stay separate from your own devices.
Connections expand reach; they do not change the authority boundary.