Singapore-based startup Acti launched an AI-powered keyboard for iOS and Android on June 30, 2026, designed to let users trigger automated tasks and access AI assistance without leaving the apps they are already using.
Rather than requiring users to switch between separate AI chatbot apps, Acti embeds AI capabilities directly into the keyboard layer, which sits across email, messaging, social media, and other applications. The app is powered by Google’s Gemini models, chosen according to the company for their speed, reliability, multilingual performance, and cost efficiency.
A core feature called Skills allows users to assign multi-step automated tasks to individual keys. For example, long-pressing the letter “T” can trigger a translation, while another key can instantly share a meeting link. Users describe what they want in plain language, and Acti builds the shortcut — no coding required. Early access testers created over 1,000 Skills in under two weeks ahead of launch. Skills can be kept private or published to a Skills marketplace, where others have already built shortcuts for accessing real-time World Cup data and Polymarket links.
Acti founder and CEO Young Wang, who previously spent a decade at Baidu growing its Facemoji Keyboard to over 300 million daily active users, said the arrival of large language models prompted him to rethink the keyboard as a product. “Text was no longer just something people typed; it had become a carrier of intent,” Wang said.
On privacy, the company says Acti operates on a local-first model, keeping personal context on the user’s device by default and not accessing or storing private messages unless a feature explicitly requires external processing.
Acti also disclosed that it has closed $5.3 million in seed funding, in a round led by BITKRAFT Ventures. The company plans to generate revenue through subscriptions offering access to more advanced AI models and higher usage limits. The app is available now on iOS and Android.
Source: TechCrunch