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Apple has approved startup Poke as the first artificial intelligence-powered service to operate on its Messages for Business platform, marking a notable expansion of the company’s messaging ecosystem ahead of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
The approval allows users to access Poke directly through iMessage. The service operates via text-based conversations and can help users manage schedules, control smart home devices, edit photos, track health goals, and perform other everyday tasks without a dedicated app.
Poke launched earlier this year and claims to have handled close to 100 million messages across platforms, including SMS, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
Apple’s Messages for Business platform has largely been used by brands to communicate with customers through iMessage. Airlines, retailers, banks, and service providers use the platform to provide support, process bookings, and deliver updates.
Poke’s entry marks the first time Apple has approved an AI-driven agent for the service. The move suggests Apple is opening its messaging infrastructure to a new category of software that relies on conversational interfaces rather than traditional apps.
Users will be able to interact with Poke in the same way they exchange messages with businesses or personal contacts.
The partnership also points to a potential business model for developers building conversational services on Apple’s platforms.
According to Poke’s parent company, Apple charges participating services on a per-user basis. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The arrangement could create a new distribution channel for software companies while giving Apple another source of recurring revenue as interest in AI-powered tools continues to grow.
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Poke’s founders said the approval process took several months. Apple required the company to provide access to human support when needed, clearly identify the service as AI-generated, and make product changes to comply with platform guidelines.
The approval comes days before WWDC 2026, where Apple is expected to outline the next phase of its software and AI strategy. Poke’s arrival on Messages for Business offers an early indication of how the company may integrate conversational services more deeply into its ecosystem.
