OpenAI's latest deal involves Software Applications Inc., the company behind Sky, a natural language AI assistant for macOS.
Although the transaction value was not disclosed, technology experts consider this an important step in OpenAI's ecosystem expansion strategy, to move ChatGPT beyond the web browser framework or mobile application, towards an experience associated with the operating system and hardware.
Software Applications was founded in 2023 by a group of former Apple engineers who have contributed to the development of the technology behind the Shortcuts application on iPhone and Mac.
In particular, Ari Weinstein and concorrent Kramer are two key characters of the Workflow app, the predecessor of Shortcuts, bought by Apple in 2017.
After leaving Apple, they worked with Kim Beverett, a former Safari engineer, and FaceTime to create Software Applications to develop Sky, an AI interface that can help users complete tasks in any Mac window they are running.
Although still young, this company has made a splash in Silicon Valley when it raised 6.5 million USD in investment capital, with the participation of Sam altman ( CEO OpenAI) and Dylan Field ( CEO figma).
The above connection has made the merger a reasonable deal as Sky's team not only has a deep understanding of the user experience on computers, but also has the ability to design AI systems associated with interfaces, something OpenAI is in dire need of to take ChatGPT further.
The acquisition of Sky comes as OpenAI is stepping up the integration of ChatGPT into reality products.
The company has recently introduced the Atlas browser, described as the first AI-based browser, allowing users to chat directly to the web.
Along with that, OpenAI is also said to be developing its own AI hardware device, in collaboration with designer Jony Ive, a former legendary design director of Apple.
From the Sky deal, it can be seen that OpenAI's vision is not just software. The company is preparing for an era where ChatGPT becomes a multi-platform AI assistant, understanding user context and natural operations like Siri or spotlight, but much smarter and more customized.
If successful, ChatGPT will not only be the world's leading chatbot, but also become an AI interface that connects humans to computers, just like Apple changed the world with its first graphics interface.
