Key Takeaways OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Incorporated, makers of the Mac AI interface Sky, bringing its 12-person team on board. The startup was founded by former Apple employees who cr...
OpenAI announced Thursday it has acquired Software Applications Incorporated, a two-year-old startup developing an AI-powered natural language interface for Mac computers called Sky.
The acquisition marks another strategic move by the ChatGPT maker to embed artificial intelligence more deeply into users' everyday computing workflows.
Software Applications Incorporated was founded in August 2023 by Ari Weinstein and Conrad Kramer, two former Apple employees who previously created Workflow, the automation app that Apple acquired in 2017 and transformed into the iPhone's Shortcuts feature.
The team also includes Kim Beverett, who served as a senior program and product manager at Apple for nearly a decade, working on Safari, WebKit, Privacy, Messages, and other core technologies.
Sky is designed as a floating interface that works alongside users as they write, plan, code, or manage their day on Mac computers.
The software can understand what appears on screen and take actions within applications using natural language commands, though it has not yet been released to the public.
Nick Turley, OpenAI's Vice President and Head of ChatGPT, explained the strategic importance of the acquisition in a statement: "We're building a future where ChatGPT doesn't just respond to your prompts, it helps you get things done. Sky's deep integration with the Mac accelerates our vision of bringing AI directly into the tools people use every day."
Ari Weinstein, co-founder and CEO of Software Applications Incorporated, expressed enthusiasm about joining OpenAI: "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."
OpenAI plans to integrate Sky's macOS capabilities and product design into ChatGPT. All 12 members of the Software Applications team will join OpenAI as part of the deal.
Financial terms were not disclosed, though OpenAI's official announcement included a disclosure that an investment fund associated with CEO Sam Altman held a passive investment in Software Applications Incorporated, which had raised a $6.5 million seed funding round.
The purchase of Software Applications Incorporated is part of a broader acquisition strategy by OpenAI, which has been valued at $500 billion in a recent secondary share sale.
In September 2024, the company acquired product development startup Statsig for $1.1 billion. Earlier in May, OpenAI completed a nearly $6.5 billion all-stock purchase of an AI device startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive.
The deal was led by Nick Turley and Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of Applications, and approved by OpenAI's board.
The acquisition comes just one day after OpenAI announced ChatGPT Atlas, a new web browser designed to compete with Safari and Chrome. Atlas can perform tasks on behalf of users with ChatGPT's existing AI Operator features, and Sky's technology could further enhance that functionality in future integrations.
The move also positions OpenAI to compete more directly with Apple in the AI-enhanced computing space.
Apple is currently developing an AI-infused version of Siri that was announced in June 2024 but has been delayed until at least spring 2026.
While Apple has shipped various Apple Intelligence features, including writing helpers, live translation, and image creation tools, the company has partnered with OpenAI to handle queries that Siri cannot answer by routing them to ChatGPT.
The acquisition highlights an interesting dynamic in Silicon Valley's AI race: Apple appears to be struggling to retain teams from companies it acquires, with key talent departing to pursue new ventures that later become acquisition targets for Apple's competitors.
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