{"slug": "chatgpt-will-now-text-your-friends-for-you", "title": "ChatGPT will now text your friends for you", "summary": "OpenAI has updated its ChatGPT Mac app to allow the AI chatbot to read and send iMessage messages on behalf of users, a feature that could conflict with Apple's privacy stance. The update, available in the latest version of the ChatGPT Mac app, also includes better synchronization between Mac and iPhone and introduces 'Computer History' in Europe, Switzerland, and the UK. OpenAI says the feature must be explicitly enabled and ChatGPT will ask permission before sending messages, though that restriction can be turned off.", "body_md": "# ChatGPT will now text your friends for you\n\nOpenAI promotes tool as a way to message people but also ‘analyse’ your conversations\n\n- Bookmark\n- CommentsGo to comments\n\n[ChatGPT](/topic/chatgpt) can now send messages on your behalf.\n\nA new update to the [Mac](/topic/mac) app allows the [AI](/topic/ai)-powered chatbot to prepare and send messages on its user’s behalf. It will also allow ChatGPT to read through all of a persons message so that it can analyse who they talk to and what about.\n\nIt is available in the latest version of the ChatGPT Mac app, which brings a host of other changes including better synchronisation of conversations between the Mac and the iPhone.\n\nIn addition to any controversies over relying on an AI system to stay in touch with friends, and the ways people might feel about receiving messages that are actually written by an automated system, the new tool could cause conflict with [Apple](/topic/apple).\n\nThe company has strongly advocated for the privacy of users’ messages, stressing for instance when it revealed [a new version of Siri that none of the data used to understand or write messages would ever leave the iPhone itself](/bulletin/lifestyle/ios-27-siri-app-features-release-date-b2995475.html). And [OpenAI](/topic/openai) and Apple have already had a difficult few months, with [the two locked in a court battle over claims that OpenAI stole trade secrets from Apple](/tech/openai-apple-lawsuit-tradesecret-dismiss-b3028436.html).\n\nOpenAI said the new feature would make it “easier” to have “everyday conversations”. “Search messages, catch up on conversations, draft and send replies,” it said in its announcement.\n\n“We've added native integration with iMessage, so ChatGPT can now send & read messages for you!” wrote It can also analyse your messages! It's really fun to get insights about who you talk to, and what you talk to people about.”\n\nMr Weinstein showed an example in which he had asked ChatGPT to write a poem and send it to a friend. But the company also appeared to suggest that it could be used for more normal interactions, too.\n\nOpenAI stressed that the feature had to be switched on explicitly, presumably to allay concerns about privacy and security. It also said that ChatGPT will always explicitly ask for permission before any specific message is sent – though that restriction can be switched off.\n\nThe update also brings another controversial change to ChatGPT in Europe. OpenAI announced recently that it would introduce a feature called “Computer History” that would let ChatGPT watch you as use your computer to help with tasks, and that is now available in Europe, Switzerland and the UK.\n\n## Join our commenting forum\n\nJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies\n\n[Comments](#comments-area)", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-will-now-text-your-friends-for-you", "canonical_source": "https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/chatgpt-openai-update-new-imessage-messages-text-b3036981.html", "published_at": "2026-08-21 10:35:53+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-21 10:44:26.274166+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-products", "ai-tools"], "entities": ["OpenAI", "ChatGPT", "Apple", "Mac", "iMessage", "Siri", "Computer History"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-will-now-text-your-friends-for-you", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-will-now-text-your-friends-for-you.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-will-now-text-your-friends-for-you.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-will-now-text-your-friends-for-you.jsonld"}}