Can an AI agent run on Apple Messages for Business?
Yes, with Apple’s approval. Poke became the first standalone AI agent on the channel in June 2026. Automation still has to connect through an approved MSP, identify itself, and offer a live person.
For years Apple Messages for Business was a channel for airlines, retailers, and hotels to talk with their own customers. On 4 June 2026 Apple approved Poke, from The Interaction Company of California, as the first standalone AI agent on that same platform. TechCrunch reported the approval.
What Apple required
Poke did not get a private iMessage API. It went through Messages for Business. Apple’s review, as Poke’s co-founder described it to TechCrunch, covered four things: the ability to offer live support, a clear label that the user is talking to an AI agent, testimony from its messaging providers, and an interface that matches Apple’s guidelines.
Bot-only is still not allowed
Apple’s own FAQ says automation must connect through an approved Messaging Service Provider, not a direct hookup, and that a live-agent path is mandatory. The channel policies say the same thing: a business must not provide a bot-only experience during regular hours. An AI agent on this channel is an approved experience with a person behind it, not an unofficial iMessage bot.
Where to look next
Poke’s profile is in the brands directory. The MSP listed on that profile is Infobip. If you are choosing a provider for your own brand, start from the MSP directory and the guide to what an MSP does.