ChatGPT could soon become your Mac's smartest assistant as OpenAI acquires Sky

OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Incorporated, the company behind Sky, a natural language interface for Mac. Sky, with the help of its AI, works alongside users by understanding the screen content and interacting with apps for tasks like writing, coding, planning, and more.

Ari Weinstein, Co-Founder and CEO, Software Applications Incorporated, said in the statement:

“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 says that it plans to integrate Sky's deep macOS capabilities into ChatGPT, with the entire Sky team joining OpenAI.

Nick Turley, VP & Head of ChatGPT, said:

“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.”

The acquisition of Sky is a pivotal shift in OpenAI's strategy to embed AI deeply into consumer-facing products, moving beyond core AI research. The move also comes hot on the heels of OpenAI's recent launch of Atlas, its AI-powered web browser built with agentic capabilities that can not only assist but also autonomously perform tasks.

Even Microsoft is doubling down on its AI efforts, as the company also introduced new agentic AI features within its Edge browser and updated Copilot functionalities in its recent Fall update, including “Mico,” a visual assistant designed with real-time expressions, conversational memory, and more.

Integrating Sky could allow ChatGPT to contextually assist users by actively reading and interacting with their workspace, such as documents, code editors, and more. It could also mean that ChatGPT would be able to perform complex, cross-application tasks, automate workflows, or provide real-time advice based on what the user is currently working on.

Nick Turley, along with Fidji Simo, led the acquisition at OpenAI and was approved by OpenAI's board committees. An investment fund associated with Sam Altman also held a passive stake in Software Applications Incorporated.