On Aug. 20 2026 OpenAI unveiled a new Apple Messages plugin for ChatGPT that empowers the AI chatbot to retrieve messages, perform message analysis, draft responses, and even send messages from Apple’s Messages app through MACs. The newly released feature allows users to connect their local message history – iMessage SMS RCS – to ChatGPT largely inside ChatGPT Work and Codex sessions. This cooperation opens up new capabilities of ChatGPT on desktop, and transforms the chatbot into a device which is capable of retrieving messages that can identify what you want from a conversation and even send out a message from the device for you.
The plugin only works on Apple Silicon Macs with the ChatGPT desktop app and it is currently not available on Intel-based Macs, as well as web and (mobile apps), and standard ChatGPT chats. You will have to go inside the ChatGPT app to install the Apple Messages plugin from the plugin section and then ask several permissions from the system level. The permissions required are Full Disk Access on macOS, which would enable ChatGPT to read local messages data; accessing contacts as well as the automation tool of AppleScript are also part of the permission request. After all that, it just stays with your setting if ChatGPT is allowed to automatically perform such tasks as the message review, content generation, response sending etc. Normally all outgoing messages need an explicit check from the user of both content and intended recipients. Still, there’s an option for users to authorize permanent senders for certain conversations.
OpenAI reminds users that the plugin is running on the device side, and without any default automatic index it would create permanently or by default, ChatGPT does not upload conversation data to our servers. The local processing is done on the users’ Mac and uses existing macOS tools without any official integration or Apple APIs. While, through the device’s local processing, OpenAI wants to alleviate privacy concerns, they point out the concern over “Full Disk Access” which enables ChatGPT access beyond the Messages not to other parts of the system that also contain private information, such Mail database, browser history and even backups. There is a legitimate concern among critics that once messages are decrypted and stored locally in plaintext, allowing such extensive freedom to access them essentially means a very capable AI system will be let loose and can make changes with the highly personal information.
The plugin’s practical side is shown by some feature demos: e.g. users can inquire ChatGPT to recap a day’s worth of messages, to highlight conversations in which a response is due, to draft a business- or social-like replying text, to perform a search of a certain detail in a long conversation or even to delete messages. Besides the support for file attachments, the tool also has ChatGPT Work and Codex versions of it that make it usable in both personal and professional contexts. Yet, the feature does not work with the Messages app as a remote control of ChatGPT, nor is it applicable to anything other than the specific desktop environments as mentioned earlier.
The announcement has generated a debate on the increasing conflict between making things convenient and protecting one’s privacy when it comes to AI-based tools. The plugin is totally optional, and users have to go through several explicit authorization steps to enable it. Yet, the amount of freedom it grants, plus Truth is users can send texts that appear to come from them, is enough to raise concerns about, among other things, abuse of the feature, unintentional disclosure of private information, or what the handing of conversational data to a third party implies.
Apple is famous for its commitment to privacy, and it was the first to introduce end-to-end encrypted messaging with iMessage. Since the company didn’t partake in the plugin’s creation, the AI startup mustered the courage to come up with the feature using already existing iOS permission routes instead of requesting special access. Really AI assistants are becoming an integral part of day-to-day digital life and workflows makes it all the more relevant that the collaboration between the messaging app and Apple is a very early instance of how the use of AI can bring both tremendous convenience and the necessity for users to take full consideration of such deep level permissions.
Digital entrepreneur and content expert I help businesses with AI, SEO and the latest tech trends. I started Silicon Valley Weekly to make complex tech concepts easy to understand and use for business growth. I know a lot about systems and help startups, entrepreneurs and brands navigate the fast-changing world of tech and online marketing.
I build strategies that use data, search optimization, content marketing and AI tools to get visibility, engagement and revenue. I love finding ways for businesses to grow increasing their presence and turning new ideas into successful businesses. My goal is to connect the technology, with practical business use so brands can succeed online.
