ChatGPT can now read and send texts via Apple Messages on Mac

OpenAI released a new plugin for its macOS desktop app on Wednesday that gives ChatGPT direct access to Apple's Messages app, allowing the AI assistant to read, search, summarize, and send texts on a user's behalf across iMessage, SMS, and RCS conversations.

How the Plugin Works

The Apple Messages plugin, available to all ChatGPT subscription tiers including free users, operates within the ChatGPT Work and Codex modes on the macOS desktop app. Users can ask ChatGPT to pull up conversation threads, locate specific messages from weeks ago, draft replies, and even send new texts. The feature is restricted to Apple ↘ 0.52% silicon Macs and is not available on Intel-based machines.9to5mac+1

By default, ChatGPT can only send a message after the user approves both the content and the recipients. OpenAI's official ChatGPT account on X described the feature as letting users "search messages, catch up on conversations, draft and send replies" directly from their Mac.x+1

OpenAI's plugin guide details the risks associated with persistent approval settings, including a known issue involving tasks that can disable approval prompts. The company advises users to "take care before granting persistent approval."9to5mac

Privacy and Security Concerns

The integration raises questions about the privacy of personal and work conversations. OpenAI told Bloomberg that the plugin processes data locally on the user's device and does not create a general index of all messages. However, the company has not disclosed the full technical details of how local processing works.mezha

The release comes amid a broader push by OpenAI to make ChatGPT a tool for automating computer tasks. As Business Insider reported, the company has been building out "Computer Use" features that let ChatGPT interact with browsers, apps, and now messaging platforms. A security expert at Malwarebytes told Business Insider the landscape "does still feel a little bit wild west-ish," cautioning that users may not have adequate privacy protections in place.businessinsider

Part of a Larger Automation Strategy

The Messages plugin fits into OpenAI's strategy of connecting ChatGPT to what its engineers call the "long tail" of software tools built only for human hands. James Sun, who works on browser capabilities at OpenAI, told Business Insider his team is still navigating the trade-offs: "You can make something 100% safe, but then it's just very, very difficult to use, and you can make something that is very easy to use but very dangerous".businessinsider