On Thursday, OpenAI announced its acquisition of Software Applications, Inc., the innovative creators behind the AI-driven natural language interface for Mac computers, known as Sky. This cutting-edge software, which has yet to be made available to the public, is crafted to seamlessly integrate into users' daily activities. Whether you are writing, planning, coding, or using various applications, Sky is designed to work alongside you, making your interactions with technology more intuitive.
Sky functions similarly to AI browsers, allowing it to observe what is displayed on your screen and perform actions within your applications. This capability represents a significant advancement in how OpenAI aims to embed its technology into the daily lives of consumers and businesses that utilize Mac systems. According to Ari Weinstein, co-founder and CEO of Software Applications, “We’ve always wanted computers to be more empowering, customizable, and intuitive. With LLMs, we can finally put the pieces together. That’s why we built Sky, an AI experience that floats over your desktop to help you think and create. We’re thrilled to join OpenAI to bring that vision to hundreds of millions of people.”
The talent behind Sky is noteworthy, particularly considering their previous successful venture. Ari Weinstein and his co-founder, Conrad Kramer, had previously founded Workflow, which was acquired by Apple. This technology eventually evolved into what we now know as Shortcuts. After a successful tenure at Apple, both Weinstein and Kramer established Software Applications in August 2023. Additionally, the third co-founder and COO, Kim Beverett, has nearly a decade of experience at Apple, where she held senior roles focusing on technologies such as Safari, WebKit, Privacy, and more.
While Apple has been relatively slow to adopt AI, it is expected to unveil a revamped Siri with enhanced AI capabilities next year. In the meantime, the company has introduced various features leveraging its Apple Intelligence technology, which includes writing aids, live translation, and image generation. Apple is also collaborating with OpenAI to redirect queries that Siri cannot address to ChatGPT. Furthermore, Apple provides developers with a Foundation Models framework, enabling the integration of AI directly into their applications across platforms, including Mac.
Despite these advancements, Apple places a strong emphasis on user privacy, which could lead to hesitations regarding an agentic AI system like Sky that monitors screen activity and executes tasks on behalf of users. The concept of agentic AI is still in its infancy, and recent assessments suggest that AI browsers pose various safety risks, which could delay Apple's ability to launch a Mac AI system comparable to Sky.
While the terms of OpenAI's acquisition of Software Applications, Inc. remain undisclosed, it is known that the creators of Sky had previously raised $6.5 million in funding from prominent investors, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Figma CEO Dylan Field, according to Pitchbook data. OpenAI clarified that Altman maintained a passive interest in the startup through an investment fund. The acquisition deal was orchestrated by Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, alongside Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, and received approval from OpenAI’s board.
