Poke, a startup that makes using AI agents as easy as sending a text message, has become the first AI agent approved to run on Apple’s Messages for Business platform. Previously, the platform was designed to help businesses like airlines, retailers and hotel chains communicate with their customers through Apple’s Messages app, offering a standardized interface that supported both automated chat and live agents. Previously, it was not exposed to standalone third-party AI agents.
Poke, released in March, was one of the first AI agents designed to be accessible to casual users without the technical skillset or inclination to work with command-line tools or more complex agent systems such as OpenClaw. Now, Poke can help with common activities like daily planning, managing your calendar, tracking your health and fitness, controlling your smart home, and editing photos, all via text message. About 100 million messages have been relayed to date, the company told TechCrunch.
The AI service works on SMS, Telegram, and in some markets, WhatsApp. Poke will now be able to add Apple Messages for Business (meaning verified business accounts) to supported platforms.
The news that Poke is launching into Apple’s Messages for Business comes just days before Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, scheduled for Monday. An AI-optimized version of Siri is expected to be announced there, along with other AI tools and services for app developers. There are also rumors that Apple will open up its App Store for AI agents.
This is not the case with Poke. Apple’s Messages for Business platform does not provide consumer-facing mobile apps, but rather a way for consumers to interact directly with businesses through the Message app interface. This allows consumers to contact businesses for information, support, schedule appointments, and more without having to call the business. When a Poke user asks an AI agent a question or request, the AI agent responds with text.
A more interesting detail for founders and investors may be the business model it opens up. Marvin von Hagen, co-founder of The Interaction Company of California, the Palo Alto-based startup that developed Poke, says his startup will pay a per-user fee to the messaging service providers it works with to make Messages for Business a reality. Although he can’t reveal the exact price, he notes that it is significantly cheaper than Meta AI because it increased its prices in response to EU regulations mandating allowing the use of third-party AI agents on WhatsApp.
“I think Apple is just realizing that this is the best way to deliver AI,” he said, adding that he believes Apple’s support for AI agents will also grow over time.
To gain Apple’s approval, we needed to ensure that we could provide live support when needed and that our AI agents were clearly identified as such. Poke also submitted testimonials from messaging providers and customized its user interface to align with Apple’s guidelines.
For example, Poke on Apple Messages for Business now requires link previews instead of inline links, and uses Apple’s style guide for things like buttons and interface elements.
“It took several months to comply with all of these standards, and those who want to build on this will also take several months to go through this approval process,” von Hagen said. What about being the first? It had a lot to do with trust.
“It was also important that we were very aligned when it came to positioning the company,” he said, explaining that many of today’s consumer products are aimed at hitting numbers through questionable tactics. “We care about quality and having a brand that stands for trust,” von Hagen said.
It’s unclear whether Apple will announce any news related to AI agents on its Message for Business platform at WWDC next week, and von Hagen is in the dark about Apple’s plans. However, Poke is currently rolling out an invitation to existing users to allow them to migrate to the Apple Messages for Business platform if they wish. Poke will continue to offer subscriptions, including the option to use Apple Pay.
Backed by Spark Capital, General Catalyst, and other angels, the 10-person startup recently added another $10 million to its coffers on top of last year’s $15 million seed round. Its current value is $300 million post-money.
Apple could not be reached for comment.
Correction: This article has been updated after co-founder Marvin von Hagen revealed that Poke pays messaging service providers on a per-user basis, rather than directly to Apple.
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