Acti Launches Agentic Keyboard Integrating AI Directly into Typing

Singapore-based startup Acti has introduced an AI-powered keyboard designed to transform the most frequently used interface on a smartphone into a functional AI companion. The keyboard features a unique ‘ActiBar,’ which replaces the traditional space bar and allows users to trigger various AI actions with a long-press. This design choice aims to integrate intelligence directly into the typing experience, allowing for contextual assistance across messaging, email, and social apps without requiring users to switch platforms.

By utilizing Google’s Gemini models, the keyboard allows users to perform tasks like dropping location pins in chats, pulling up LinkedIn profiles, or retrieving restaurant recommendations instantly. Acti also introduces a ‘Skills’ feature, which enables users to build their own custom shortcuts using plain English, effectively automating repetitive workflows without needing any coding experience. The startup emphasizes a local-first approach to privacy, ensuring that personal user data remains on the device unless an explicit action requires external processing.

The app is now available as a free download on iOS and Android in major markets, including India. CEO Young Wang suggests that integrating AI directly into the keyboard is more natural than relying on standalone apps or system-level assistants, which often struggle to achieve deep, contextual user integration. The success of the venture hinges on whether average consumers will adopt an entirely new keyboard experience to gain these AI efficiencies. As the company navigates the challenge of changing user muscle memory, Acti offers a compelling vision for mobile-first AI adoption that meets users exactly where they spend most of their screen time.