Apple Approves Poke as First Third-Party AI Agent on Messages for Business

*Apple has opened its Messages for Business platform to Poke, allowing users to run AI tasks like sending email and generating images directly inside iMessage.*

Poke became the first AI agent approved for the platform on June 4. The approval lets the service operate through standard text messages without requiring a separate app.

The Messages for Business channel was built so companies could reach customers inside the Messages app. Poke now uses the same channel to let individuals trigger AI actions by texting. Users can ask the agent to reply to messages, schedule dinners, set reminders, send emails, or create images.

Poke launched to the public in March 2026. It positions itself as a proactive assistant that works entirely through iMessage. The service therefore competes with Siri for simple personal tasks while staying inside the conversation thread.

No other third-party AI agent has received similar clearance. AppleInsider noted that the move arrives weeks before WWDC 2026, where third-party AI support in iOS 27 is expected to be discussed.

The approval shows Apple is willing to let external agents use its messaging infrastructure when they meet platform rules. For developers, it creates a narrow but official path to reach iPhone users without building a full standalone app. For users, it means AI features can appear inside the app they already open dozens of times a day.

---

Sources:

• TechCrunch
• AppleInsider

{
  "excerpt": "Apple has approved Poke as the first third-party AI agent on its Messages for Business platform, letting users run tasks like reminders and image generation inside iMessage.",
  "suggestedSection": "ai",
  "suggestedTags": ["apple", "ai-agents", "imessage"],
  "imagePrompt": "An abstract composition of glowing message bubbles floating above a sleek dark surface, connected by thin lines of light that suggest data flow. Muted color palette, cinematic lighting, 16:9."
}