- OpenAI launched a new plug-in that lets ChatGPT read, search, draft and send messages on Mac computers.
- The tool works with iMessage, SMS and RCS chats, but only on Apple Silicon Macs.
- Privacy worries are growing, and Apple has not commented on the update yet.
A new ChatGPT tool can now open your private texts. OpenAI released this plug-in on August 20, and it connects ChatGPT to Apple’s Messages app.
Bloomberg broke the story first, and outlets like TechCrunch, 9to5Mac and Gizmodo quickly picked it up. The launch raises fresh privacy questions for Apple, a company that built its whole brand around protecting user data.
OpenAI Rolls Out a New Messages Plug-in for ChatGPT
The plug-in lets ChatGPT work with texts stored in Apple’s Messages app. Users no longer need to copy and paste chats into the chatbot. According to Bloomberg, the AI system can now read, write and send text messages for people. It can also search old chats and pull out summaries.
The tool covers more than just iMessage. Reports say ChatGPT can also handle SMS and RCS chats. However, it only works on Macs that run Apple Silicon chips, not older Intel models. Right now, the feature is limited to ChatGPT Work and Codex users, not regular ChatGPT chats.
TechCrunch explained that users can sort, analyse or edit their messages straight from ChatGPT. In one demo OpenAI shared, a user asked the chatbot to find chats missed the day before. ChatGPT then wrote and sent a reply on the user’s behalf. The company says this can help people spot spam, track birthdays or catch up on busy threads.
Privacy Concerns Rise Over Deep Mac Access
Messages often hold private details. They can include money matters, home addresses and personal talks involving people who never agreed to let an AI read their words. That is why this update worries many privacy experts.
OpenAI has tried to calm those fears. The company told Bloomberg that the plug-in runs locally on the Mac. It also said the tool does not build a full index of a user’s messages. Instead, it relies on built-in Mac tools such as AppleScript and Accessibility features, the same tools other automation apps already use.
Still, the setup process asks for broad access. Users must turn on Full Disk Access in their Mac settings. This single permission can also open the door to Mail data, Safari history, and Time Machine backups, according to a report from Tech Times. Users must further allow ChatGPT to see contact names and use automation tools.
Platforms take different approaches to account security. Reddit, for example, locks user accounts when it detects technical irregularities, requiring a password reset to regain access. According to Reddit’s help documentation, this precaution is designed to prevent accounts from being misused if suspicious activity is detected.
Sending a message needs approval by default. Each time ChatGPT drafts a reply, the user must confirm it first. OpenAI does offer a “persistent approval” setting that skips this step. But the company itself warns against turning it on, since it removes the last chance to check a message before it goes out.
Old Rivalry Between Apple and OpenAI Grows
This launch lands at an awkward time for both companies. Apple sued OpenAI in July, accusing it of stealing trade secrets tied to hardware plans, according to a report from Gizmodo. The lawsuit names former Apple staff who later joined OpenAI’s hardware team.
Apple has also guarded iMessage closely for years. The company blocked Beeper Mini, an app that once let Android users send iMessages, within days of its launch. Whether Apple responds the same way to ChatGPT’s plug-in remains unclear, since it runs on standard Mac tools rather than a hacked workaround.
The timing also lines up with Apple’s own AI plans. The company is preparing a smarter version of Siri, one built to search messages and other content right on the device. That makes ChatGPT’s new plug-in a direct challenge to a feature Apple has been promising for months.
For everyday users, the update could make replying to texts much faster. For Apple, it marks a moment where an outside AI tool now touches one of its most guarded apps. As more AI systems gain access to personal chats, the balance between speed, consent and privacy will keep mattering more than ever.
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About the Author
Farwa is an experienced InfoSec writer and cybersecurity journalist skilled in writing articles related to cybersecurity, AI, DevOps, Big Data, Cloud security, VPNs, IAM, and Cloud Computing. Also a contributor on Tripwire.com, Infosecurity Magazine, Security Boulevard, DevOps.com, and CPO Magazine.
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