AI Application | Smart Keyboard Executes Operations Without Switching Applications

If you're chatting on WhatsApp or WeChat about "what's for dinner tonight" and immediately get food recommendations without needing to open another app, an AI tool like that would be really convenient.

Today, a Singapore-based startup called Acti has launched a smart keyboard for iOS and Android that promises to meet this need for convenience. It goes beyond current keyboards that only suggest your next word, and can perform actions on your behalf, bringing AI tools directly into the apps you already use, including email, instant messaging, social media, and more. The key point is that users currently have to constantly switch between different apps to get AI assistance.

No need to open various AI chatbots

Imagine you're using an instant messaging app to discuss dinner ideas with a friend. Currently, you'd have to switch to a restaurant search app, then return to the chat app. But Acti believes this is too time-consuming.

Acti's smart keyboard, after integrating with instant messaging apps and restaurant search apps, will immediately recommend restaurants when users discuss "what to eat." A similar scenario can occur when users talk about a certain stock with a friend—Acti will display real-time stock prices directly in the chat box.

Acti states that they are not asking users to open various AI chatbots, but rather demonstrating how to embed AI into the interfaces they already use.

Acti founder and CEO Young Wang said in an interview:

Current AI agents have limitations because the user context layer is scattered across different apps. Acti can span these apps to build a context layer that truly belongs to the user, not the platform. This is also the foundation of the entire AI agent era.

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Design practical skills

Acti's smart keyboard also comes pre-installed with some practical skills, such as long-pressing the "T" key to translate messages, or long-pressing the "C" key to send a meeting link.

Acti emphasizes that users don't need to know programming to create these skills. They can simply describe their needs in plain language, and Acti will automatically generate different practical skills. In early testing, users created over 1,000 skills in less than two weeks.

Acti's underlying architecture uses the Gemini model because it offers intelligence, speed, reliability, multilingual performance, and cost-effectiveness. Young Wang stated that Gemini is very suitable for Acti's skill creation.

Unless the user explicitly calls on a function that requires external processing, Acti will not access or store private messages, conversations, or personal information.