Ex-Apple engineer launches AI agent that can shop and browse
What's the story
Nikhil Gupta, a former Apple engineer who worked on the Apple Intelligence platform and Siri, has launched an innovative AI agent called szn. Unlike traditional chatbots that only respond to prompts, szn can perform tasks on behalf of users through iMessage conversations. It can browse websites, make purchases, and communicate with vendors to complete tasks for the user. The service is expected to launch in October.
Functionality
szn acts as a virtual personal assistant
szn isn't just a simple chatbot; it acts as a virtual personal assistant within an iMessage conversation.
It has its own name, email address, and phone number, allowing it to contact people and respond to messages on behalf of the user.
The AI agent is also designed to work with other Apple services like shared Apple Notes, Find My location app, and files stored in iCloud.
Expansion plans
Potential challenges for szn
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that szn will later be available through a dedicated app as well.
Each customer will get their own AI model, but personal data won't be used for training purposes. This is a major step toward ensuring user privacy while providing personalized services.
However, the service could face challenges as Apple has previously restricted third-party applications that use its iMessage platform.
Market impact
Future of AI assistants
The launch of szn comes at a time when AI assistants are evolving from simply answering questions to performing tasks on behalf of users.
This new development is a major leap in the field of artificial intelligence and could change how we interact with our devices.
However, it remains to be seen how Apple will respond to this innovative use of its iMessage platform for an AI agent.