OpenAI Acquires Sky AI to Enhance Mac User Experience
▼ Summary
– OpenAI has acquired Software Applications, Inc., the developer of an unreleased AI-powered natural language interface for Mac called Sky.
– Sky is designed to work alongside users by viewing their screen and taking actions in apps to assist with tasks like writing, planning, and coding.
– The acquisition aims to embed OpenAI’s technology into everyday consumer and business life on Mac computers.
– The Sky team previously co-founded Workflow, which Apple acquired and transformed into Shortcuts, and includes former Apple employees with extensive experience.
– Apple is developing its own AI features, including an upgraded Siri and Apple Intelligence, while partnering with OpenAI to handle queries Siri can’t answer.
OpenAI has acquired Sky AI, a promising new technology designed to transform how people interact with their Mac computers. This strategic purchase involves Software Applications, Inc., the company behind Sky, which had not yet launched publicly. The software functions as a natural language interface that operates seamlessly alongside a user’s daily activities, assisting with writing, coding, planning, and other tasks directly within various applications. Much like other AI browser tools, Sky possesses the ability to interpret what is displayed on a screen and execute actions within apps on the user’s behalf.
This acquisition marks a pivotal move for OpenAI, aiming to deeply integrate its advanced artificial intelligence into the everyday workflows of both individual consumers and businesses that rely on the Mac ecosystem.
Ari Weinstein, co-founder and CEO of Software Applications, expressed his enthusiasm in a statement. “Our goal has long been to make computers more intuitive, customizable, and empowering. Large language models have provided the missing piece to achieve this. We created Sky as an AI experience that overlays your desktop to enhance your thinking and creative processes. Joining OpenAI allows us to scale this vision and reach hundreds of millions of users,” he said.
The team responsible for Sky has a notable track record of successful ventures. Weinstein and his co-founder Conrad Kramer previously developed Workflow, a product they sold to Apple. That technology evolved into what is now known as the Shortcuts automation feature on Apple devices. Both founders remained at Apple for a number of years before departing to establish Software Applications in August 2023. The third co-founder and COO, Kim Beverett, brings nearly a decade of experience from Apple, where she held senior roles managing key technologies including Safari, WebKit, Privacy, Messages, and FaceTime.
This development occurs as Apple, which has been perceived as slower in the AI race, prepares to introduce a significantly upgraded Siri with new AI capabilities next year. The company has already begun rolling out features powered by its own “Apple Intelligence” system, such as writing assistants, live translation, image generation, and visual search. Apple is also collaborating with OpenAI to route complex Siri queries to ChatGPT for handling. The Apple Intelligence framework is designed to work across its device lineup, including Mac computers.
Furthermore, Apple provides a Foundation Models framework that lets developers incorporate local AI models directly into their own applications. A core tenet of Apple’s AI strategy is a strong emphasis on user privacy. This focus could present a challenge for agentic AI systems like Sky, which require screen access to perform tasks autonomously. Such functionality might raise security concerns among privacy-conscious customers. The field of agentic AI is still nascent, and recent analyses suggest that AI browsers carry significant safety risks. Consequently, it may take Apple considerable time to develop and release a native Mac AI system with capabilities similar to Sky.
The financial terms of OpenAI’s acquisition were not made public. However, according to data from Pitchbook, Sky’s developer had previously secured $6.5 million in funding from a group of investors that included OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Figma CEO Dylan Field, Context Ventures, and Stellation Capital. OpenAI clarified that Altman’s involvement was a passive investment held through a fund.
The acquisition process was overseen by Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, and Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, and received final approval from the company’s board of directors.
(Source: TechCrunch)
