OpenAI announced on Thursday that it has acquired Software Applications, Inc., the company behind Sky — an unreleased AI-powered natural language interface built for Mac computers.
Sky was designed to act as an intelligent layer that works alongside users throughout their day, helping them write, plan, code, and manage apps. Much like emerging AI browsers, Sky can “see” what’s on a user’s screen and take actions within applications on their behalf.
The acquisition marks a significant step for OpenAI as it moves to embed its technology directly into consumers’ daily workflows and business environments on macOS.
“We’ve always wanted computers to be more empowering, customizable, and intuitive. With large language models, we can finally put the pieces together,” said Ari Weinstein, co-founder and CEO of Software Applications. “That’s why we built Sky — an AI experience that floats above your desktop to help you think and create. We’re thrilled to join OpenAI to bring that vision to hundreds of millions of people.”
A familiar team with Deep Apple roots
The Sky team is no stranger to high-profile exits. Weinstein and Conrad Kramer previously co-founded Workflow, the automation app acquired by Apple in 2017, which evolved into the technology now known as Shortcuts.
Sky’s third co-founder and COO, Kim Beverett, spent nearly a decade at Apple as a senior product and program manager, contributing to Safari, WebKit, Privacy, Messages, Mail, Phone, FaceTime, and SharePlay.
Their collective expertise in user experience and system-level software made Sky one of the most anticipated independent AI interfaces in development — even before its official debut.
Apple’s AI race and the role of OpenAI
Apple, widely seen as playing catch-up in the generative AI race, is preparing to launch a revamped AI-powered Siri in 2026. Its new “Apple Intelligence” framework already enables features like writing assistance, live translation, image generation, and visual search — and will route certain Siri queries directly to ChatGPT, through a partnership with OpenAI.
However, Apple’s strong privacy stance could make it cautious about releasing agentic AI systems like Sky, which can view and act on a user’s screen — raising understandable security and trust concerns.
While agentic AI is still in its infancy and current reviews point to notable safety risks, OpenAI’s acquisition suggests it intends to move quickly toward making this kind of desktop intelligence mainstream.
Deal details and strategic implications
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to Pitchbook data, Software Applications, Inc. had previously raised $6.5 million from investors including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Figma CEO Dylan Field, Context Ventures, and Stellation Capital.
OpenAI clarified that Altman held only a passive investment in the company via a separate fund. The acquisition was led by Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, and Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, and was approved by OpenAI’s board.
OpenAI’s purchase of Sky signals a clear intent: to extend ChatGPT beyond the browser and integrate it directly into the operating system itself. If successful, Sky could represent the first major step toward a truly intelligent personal computer — one that understands context, observes the user’s work, and takes initiative. It also places OpenAI in an intriguing position alongside Apple: both companies now share a vision of AI that enhances human creativity and productivity, though their approaches to privacy and autonomy differ sharply.
In short, the desktop is about to get a lot smarter — and Sky may be the first real taste of that future.
