The smartphone keyboard has remained largely unchanged for a decade. It is a tool for input, not execution. That changes today.

Singapore-based startup Acti is launching an AI-powered keyboard for iOS and Android that aims to turn your typing interface into an action-oriented agent. Instead of just suggesting the next word in a sentence, Acti allows users to trigger complex, multi-step tasks without ever leaving the app they are currently using. It is a shift from passive typing to active intent.

Solving the App-Switching Tax

Most AI interactions today are siloed. You leave your messaging app, open a chatbot, copy the result, and paste it back into your conversation. It is tedious. It breaks your flow.

Young Wang, Acti’s founder and CEO, argues that this fragmentation is the primary barrier to AI adoption. By embedding the agent directly into the keyboard, Acti sits across every application on your phone. It creates a persistent context layer that follows the user, rather than forcing the user to chase the AI.

"Text was no longer just something people typed; it had become a carrier of intent," Wang said. "In many everyday contexts, that intent can now be directly translated into action."

How 'Skills' Change the Workflow

At the heart of Acti are "Skills." These are custom shortcuts that allow users to automate tasks through plain-language prompts. If you want to share a live stock price or find a restaurant recommendation, you don't need to search Google. You simply trigger the Skill.

These shortcuts are surprisingly flexible. Users can program a single key to perform a sequence of actions, such as translating a message or generating a meeting link. The company reports that early testers created over 1,000 unique Skills in less than two weeks.

Under the hood, the platform runs on Google’s Gemini models. Wang selected them for their balance of speed, cost, and multilingual capabilities. For privacy, Acti employs a local-first model. Personal context stays on the device by default, and the app only accesses external data when a user explicitly invokes a specific feature.

A New Bet on Human-Computer Interaction

Investors are betting that this interface shift is the next logical step for AI. Acti recently closed $5.3 million in seed funding led by BITKRAFT Ventures.

"We backed Acti because this team has a real shot at owning the next phase of human-computer interaction," said Jonathan Huang, a partner at BITKRAFT. The team brings significant experience in scaling consumer products, with leadership having previously managed massive user bases at Baidu.

Key Takeaways

  • Keyboard as Agent: Acti moves AI from a standalone app into the keyboard, allowing users to perform actions without switching contexts.
  • Custom Automation: Users can build "Skills" using plain language to automate multi-step tasks like scheduling or translation.
  • Privacy-First Design: The platform uses a local-first architecture to ensure personal context remains on the device whenever possible.

What This Means for Users

For the average user, Acti represents a move toward "invisible" AI. The goal is to reduce the friction of getting things done on a mobile device. If the company can successfully build a marketplace for shared Skills, the keyboard could become a highly personalized command center.

However, the challenge remains: can a third-party keyboard provide a typing experience as seamless as the native iOS or Android versions? That is the hurdle. If Acti can clear it, the way we interact with our phones will never be the same.