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Pokea startup that uses AI agents to transform something as simple as sending a text message, has become the first AI agent to be approved for operation. Apple’s Messages for Business platform. Previously, the platform was designed for businesses — airlines, retailers, hotel chains, and others — to communicate with their customers via iMessage, offering a standard interface that supports both automated chat and live agents. Until now, it wasn’t open to third-party AI agents.
Launched in March, Poke is one of the first AI agents designed to be accessible to everyday users who don’t have the technical skill set or inclination to work with command-line tools or more complex agent systems like OpenClaw. Today, Poke can help with common activities, such as daily planning, managing your calendar, tracking your health and fitness, controlling your smart home, and editing your photos, all via text message. To date, it has sent nearly 100 million messages, the company told TechCrunch.
The AI service works on SMS, Telegram, and WhatsApp in some markets. Poke will now be able to add iMessage to its supported platforms.
The news of Poke’s launch on Apple’s Messages for Business comes days ahead of Apple’s anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, where it is expected to introduce an AI-optimized version of Siri along with other AI tools and services for app developers. It is also Rumor That Apple will open its App Store to AI agents.
Not so here with Poke. Apple’s Messages for Business platform isn’t about offering a consumer-facing mobile app, but a way for consumers to communicate directly with businesses through the iMessage interface. This allows customers to reach the business for information, support, appointment scheduling and more without having to call by phone. Poke users ask the AI agent a question or request, and it responds via text.
For founders and investors, the more interesting detail may be the business model it opens up. Marvin Van HagenCo-founder of Interaction Company of CaliforniaThe Palo Alto-based startup behind Poke says its startup will pay Apple on a per-user basis. While he can’t share exact pricing, he notes that it’s significantly lower than Meta AI, when it raised fees in response to EU regulation that required it to allow third-party AI agents on WhatsApp. That per-user tool structure, implemented at scale, represents a potentially meaningful new revenue stream for Apple but also a new cost of distribution that AI agent startups will need to factor in.
“I think Apple is just seeing that this is the best way to present AI, and … actually, it’s good for them, because they charge us a fee. They charge us per user on the platform and actually make money from it, especially if it gets really big,” says von Hagen. He believes Apple’s support for AI agents will grow over time.
To get Apple’s approval, the company needed to confirm that it could offer live support if needed, and that its AI agent was clearly identified. Poke also submitted testimonials from its messaging providers and customized its user interface to meet Apple’s guidelines.
For example, poke-on iMessage has to show link previews instead of inline links like before, and it uses Apple’s style guide for things like buttons and interface elements.
“It took a few months to implement all those standards, and whoever wants to implement it will take — it’s going to take a few months to go through that approval process as well,” Van Hagen said. As for being first? It had a lot to do with confidence.
“It was also just important that we were very aligned in terms of positioning the company,” he noted, explaining that many consumer products today are about getting numbers through questionable tactics. “We care about quality, we care about a brand that conveys confidence,” Van Hagen said.
It’s unclear whether Apple will announce any news regarding AI agents on its Message for Business platform at WWDC next week, and Van Hagen is not among Apple’s plans. However, Poke is currently issuing invitations to existing users that will allow them to optionally switch to the iMessage experience, if they so choose. Poke will continue to offer subscriptions, which will include the option to pay through Apple’s system.
Backed by Spark Capital, General Catalyst, and other angels, the 10-person startup recently raised another $10 million in funding, on top of last year’s $15 million seed round. It is now worth $300 million, post money.
Apple was not immediately available for comment.
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