Pongu-owned state
Memory, conversation state, configuration, and diagnostics remain on the Mac. The current request and relevant recalled context go to your chosen provider.
Pongu AI for macOS
Your AI on your Mac. Text it in iMessage.
Pongu manages the local connection, controls, memory, and schedules. Your message and recalled context go to the AI provider you choose.
Bring an Apple-silicon Mac, a Messages identity, and an installed AI runtime.
Public download is not available yet.
Apple silicon · macOS 14+ · separate Apple Account required
Privacy and security
Know what runs where.
Pongu runs on your Mac, not in a Pongu-hosted agent cloud. Local Pongu data is not the same thing as context sent to your AI provider.
On your Mac
MessagesSigned-in account
→
PonguRouting + controls
→
MemoryLocal store
Current turn + recalled context→
Your provider
Model + toolsUnder its own policiesMessages boundary
Pongu uses a separate Apple Account signed in to Messages on the host Mac through a local helper. It is not an official Apple iMessage API and has no Apple affiliation. Full Disk Access and Messages Automation are required.
Your existing AI sign-in
Credentials stay with your AI app and provider, not Pongu. Tool actions follow that app’s unattended policies; Pongu has no per-turn approval UI.
Conversation controls
macOS permissions grant broad Messages access. Pongu limits processing and replies to configured chats, not OS-level per-chat access. Pause stops replies and maintenance.
What Pongu handles
The parts that matter stay visible.
One local connection, your existing AI, and controls you can inspect.
Reach it in iMessage
Use a separate Messages identity and configured direct chats or groups. Pongu owns the local bridge and delivery controls.
Keep your existing AI
Connect the AI app you already use. Codex and Claude Code are the recommended paths; see the full compatibility status below.
State and memory on the Mac
Conversation state, optional memory, allowlists, and schedules stay in Pongu. The provider receives the current turn and recalled context.
Inside the real app
See what’s connected.
Real app screens for setup and local memory.
Setup and readiness
Set it up without guessing.
Safe readiness checks refresh automatically. Response and send tests are separate actions you choose to run.
- Installed AI app and sign-in status
- Messages access and permissions
- Allowed direct conversations and groups
Local personalization
Memory you can see and control.
Personalization memory belongs to the conversation where it was learned.
- Scoped to the exact direct chat or group
- Disabling stops new capture and recall
- Erase removes existing Pongu memories
The current request and relevant recalled context still go to the AI provider you choose.
Requirements and setup
Bring the Mac and AI setup you already have.
Prepare the Mac, sign in, and choose who can reach your agent.
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01
⌘
Prepare the Mac
Use an Apple-silicon Mac on macOS 14 or newer. Keep it available when you want the agent online.
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02
✓
Give Pongu an identity
Sign in to Messages with a separate Apple Account so the agent has its own contact and stays apart from your personal account.
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03
•••
Connect your AI
Install and sign in to your AI app, then grant Pongu AI Full Disk Access and Messages Automation. Choose the conversations Pongu may answer.
Compatibility
Use the AI setup you already have.
Codex
Connect the installed Codex app or CLI with your existing sign-in.
Claude Code
Connect an installed, authenticated Claude Code setup.
Pi
For users who manage Pi models, extensions, and provider access directly.
OpenClaw
Connect an existing local Gateway with its own model and tools.
Hermes
For Hermes agents with their own model, tools, and runtime configuration.
OpenCode
Connect a local OpenCode setup with its configured provider access.
Hermes and OpenCode have passed private live Messages qualification. OpenClaw remains in provider-auth qualification. Pongu memory and scheduling default off for OpenClaw/Hermes; users can opt in without changing the runtime’s own memory/jobs.
Pricing and download
One purchase. No recurring Pongu fee.
One Pongu license covers up to two Mac activations. The seven-day trial requires no card, and there is no recurring Pongu fee. Provider subscriptions, API usage, and connected services remain separate.
Pongu AI for macOSApple silicon · macOS 14+
Get Pongu for your Mac.
Public download is not available yet. The checkout links below issue keys, not an app download. Wait for the app before starting a trial: its seven days begin when the key is issued.
Polar owns checkout, receipts, license-key delivery, trial expiration, activations, and the customer portal.
Straight answers
Before you put Pongu on a Mac.
Practical answers about accounts, costs, access, and uptime.
Do I need a Pongu subscription?
No. Pongu is a $20 one-time purchase for up to two Mac activations. The seven-day trial requires no card and does not renew automatically. AI-provider subscriptions, API usage, and connected services are separate.
Do I need another Apple Account?
Yes. Pongu’s intended setup uses a separate Apple Account signed in to Messages on the host Mac. This gives the agent its own Messages identity and keeps it separate from your personal conversations.
Does the Mac need to stay on?
Yes. Pongu replies, runs scheduled jobs, and maintains its Messages connection from that Mac. If the Mac is asleep or offline, the agent is unavailable until it reconnects.
Does Pongu include an AI subscription?
No. Install and sign in to one of the listed AI apps and keep its provider access active. Pongu does not store those provider credentials.
What do I need to run Pongu?
An Apple-silicon Mac on macOS 14 or newer, a separate Apple Account signed in to Messages, an installed and authenticated AI app, and Full Disk Access plus Messages Automation granted to Pongu AI.
Which AI setups can I choose?
Codex and Claude Code are the recommended paths. Pi, OpenClaw, Hermes, and OpenCode are advanced options. Hermes and OpenCode have passed private live Messages qualification; OpenClaw still needs provider authentication before its live gate.
Can Pongu read every conversation?
The macOS permissions provide broad access to Messages. Pongu processes and answers only configured conversations; its allowlists do not create OS-level per-chat read isolation. Use a separate Apple Account for the agent.
Does Pongu use an Apple iMessage API?
No. It uses the signed-in Messages account on the host Mac through a local helper. It requires macOS permissions and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple.
What leaves my Mac, and does Pongu approve actions?
Pongu-owned memory, state, configuration, and diagnostics are local. The current request and relevant recalled context go to your AI provider. Tool actions follow your AI app’s policies; Pongu has no per-turn approval UI.