SummaryNew data in the worlds of both innate‐like CD8+ T‐cells and natural killer (NK) cells have, in parallel, clarified some of the phenotypes of these cells and also their associated functions. While these cells are typically viewed entirely separately, the emerging innate functions of T‐cells and, similarly, the adaptive functions of NK cells suggest that many behaviours can be considered in parallel. In this review we compare the innate functions of CD8+ T‐cells (especially mucosal‐associated invariant T‐cells) and those of NK cells, and how these relate to expression of phenotypic markers, especially CD161 and CD56.