OpenAI launches a ChatGPT plugin for Apple Messages that can basically text on your behalf

OpenAI has released a new ChatGPT plugin for Mac that gives the AI direct access to your Apple Messages conversations. Available through ChatGPT Work and Codex on Apple Silicon Macs, the plugin can search through message history, summarize and analyze conversations, draft replies, suggest follow-ups, and even send or delete messages on the user’s behalf. For now, the integration is limited to macOS and is not available through ChatGPT on iPhone or iOS.

That level of access has naturally raised privacy concerns, especially given how much personal information can live inside Messages and Apple’s traditionally strict approach to letting third party apps access users’ personal data. The whole situation couldn’t be more ironic, as it arrives in the middle of an ongoing legal dispute between Apple and OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft. If you still want to try it anyways, you’ll need to connect Messages to ChatGPT and grant several macOS permissions, including Full Disk Access, contact access, and system automation. The plugin then uses tools such as AppleScript and Accessibility to interact directly with the Messages app.

OpenAI says the plugin runs locally, doesn't create a full index of a user’s message history, and only accesses message content when specifically requested. Message data is stored locally by default, while anything saved to the cloud follows OpenAI’s standard retention policies. The company also recommends reviewing actions before messages are sent, warning that persistent approval removes the user’s final chance to check what ChatGPT is about to send in their name. Personally, I can see this being handy for dealing with companies or other bots, but for actual conversations with friends and family, though? Yeah, probably not.