Apple Integrates Poke, First AI Agent on Messages for Business

Poke, Pioneer of AI Agents on Messages for Business

Poke, a startup that simplifies the use of AI agents, has been approved by Apple to become the first AI agent to operate on its Messages for Business platform. This platform was previously reserved for businesses such as airlines, retailers, and hotel chains, allowing them to communicate with their customers via iMessage. It offered a standardized interface supporting both automated chats and live agents, but it was not open to third-party autonomous AI agents.

Launched in March, Poke was designed to be accessible to everyday users who lack the technical skills or desire to work with command-line tools or more complex systems like OpenClaw. Poke assists with common tasks such as daily scheduling, calendar management, health and fitness tracking, smart home control, and photo editing, all through text messages. To date, it has processed approximately 100 million messages, according to information provided to TechCrunch.

Expansion to iMessage

Poke's AI service is already operational on SMS, Telegram, and, in some markets, WhatsApp. Now, with Apple's approval, iMessage is added to this list, allowing Poke to expand its audience. This announcement comes just days before Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, where an optimized version of Siri and other AI tools and services for app developers are expected to be introduced. It has also been suggested that Apple may open its App Store to AI agents.

However, Apple's Messages for Business platform is not intended to provide a mobile app directly to consumers. Instead, it allows users to interact with businesses via the iMessage interface to obtain information, support, or schedule appointments without having to call them. Poke users can ask questions or make requests to the AI agent, which responds via text message.

A Promising Business Model

For the founders and investors, the business model is a crucial aspect. Marvin von Hagen, co-founder of Poke, indicates that the startup will pay Apple on a per-user basis. While he cannot share the exact rate, he specifies that it is significantly lower than that of Meta AI, following the increase in fees in response to EU regulations that required allowing third-party AI agents on WhatsApp. This per-user fee structure, applied at scale, represents a potentially significant new revenue source for Apple, but also a new distribution cost that AI agent startups will need to consider.

"I think Apple realizes that this is the best way to offer AI, and… actually, good for them, because they charge us. They charge us per user on the platform and actually make money from it, especially if it becomes really big," von Hagen states. He also believes that Apple's support for AI agents will grow over time.

Compliance and Trust

Obtaining Apple's approval required a verification process where the company confirmed that it could provide live support if necessary and that its AI agent was clearly identified as such. Poke also submitted testimonials from its messaging providers and customized its user interface to comply with Apple's guidelines. For example, Poke on iMessage must display link previews instead of inline links, as it did before, and uses Apple's style guide for elements such as buttons and interface components.

"It took a few months to comply with all these standards, and it will also take a few months for anyone wanting to build on this to go through this approval process," von Hagen said. As for being the first? It had a lot to do with trust. "It was also important that we were very aligned in terms of company positioning," he noted, explaining that many consumer products today aim to achieve numbers through questionable tactics. "We care about quality, we want to have a brand that signals trust," von Hagen stated.

Financial Support and Outlook

Poke, a 10-person startup, is backed by Spark Capital, General Catalyst, and other investors. It recently added $10 million to its funds, in addition to last year's $15 million funding round. It is now valued at $300 million following investment. Apple was not immediately available for comment. Poke is currently in the process of sending invitations to existing users that will allow them to optionally switch to the iMessage experience if they wish.