.png){kind=logo}
OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Inc., the firm developing Sky, a natural language interface for Mac devices.
Sky, which has yet to be made publicly available, is intended to help users write, plan, program, and navigate apps by monitoring screen material and taking meaningful actions. The acquisition represents a strategic move for OpenAI to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday computing and business tasks on Macs.
Sky differs from traditional AI software. It ‘floats’ above the desktop and engages directly with apps, much like AI browsers. Users can trust Sky to perform in-app tasks, essentially serving as a digital co-pilot.
“We always wanted computers to be more empowering, more customizable, and more intuitive. With LLMs, we can finally assemble the pieces,” said Ari Weinstein, co-founder and CEO of Software Applications.
Sky’s core development team has a track record of huge success. Weinstein and Conrad Kramer were previously co-founders of Workflow, which Apple acquired and rebranded as Shortcuts.
The COO of the company, Kim Beverett, spent almost a decade at Apple, where she worked on Safari, Messages, FaceTime, Mail, and other vital applications. In August 2023, the three formed Software Applications, bringing their know-how to the OSX software and user automation sector.
Sky had raised $6.5 million from investors, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Figma CEO Dylan Field, Context Ventures, and Stellation Capital. Altman reportedly held a passive interest through an investment fund.
The acquisition, led by OpenAI’s Head of ChatGPT Nick Turley and CEO of Applications Fidji Simo, was approved by the board. However, the terms of the deal are not yet disclosed.
Also Read: Security Experts Raise Cybersecurity Warnings in OpenAI’s New ChatGPT Atlas Browser
Apple has steadily increased AI functionality through its Apple Intelligence platform, underpinning features such as writing assistants, live translation, and visual search. The firm is also overhauling Siri with AI intelligence next year and has already passed tricky queries over to ChatGPT.
However, Apple’s emphasis on privacy might cause agentic AI features such as Sky, which function autonomously on customers’ screens, to be more conservative before launch.
