Workflow & Agents|Index 01
Chert: Bringing iMessage to Business Workflows at Scale
A new API aims to formalize iMessage for customer service and lead capture, addressing the platform's lack of native business tools.
- Via
- AITECH TOKYO Editors
- Dateline
- Tokyo, May 25, 2026
- Date
- May 25, 2026
- Time
- 4 min read
Source
Hacker News Top
Tagline
API for programmatic iMessage conversations at scale.
Who & Why
For US-based DTC brands or service providers aiming to integrate iMessage into their customer service, sales, or lead capture workflows without building complex infrastructure.
vs. Existing
Unlike directly managing complex iMessage infrastructure or relying solely on SMS/RCS, Chert offers a unified API to handle iMessage's unique features at scale, including routing and CRM integration.
Tokyo Take
While innovative for the US market, Chert's utility for Tokyo professionals is limited given iMessage's low business adoption here, where LINE dominates B2C communication.
Chert is an API designed to enable businesses to send, receive, and automate iMessage conversations at scale, addressing the lack of a native API for Apple's messaging platform. It provides an infrastructure layer that allows companies to programmatically manage iMessage interactions, integrating them into existing CRM, SMS/RCS, and voice agent systems.
The platform targets high-volume use cases such as customer service, missed-call text-back, cart abandonment, and inbound lead capture, particularly within verticals like home services and DTC brands. Chert manages the complexities of scaling iMessage operations, including phone line health checks, SMS/RCS fallback, and automated line provisioning.
"the highest-volume use cases for iMessage were not B2C agents or even sales."
This focus on operational messaging, rather than conversational AI agents, highlights a pragmatic approach to a channel often perceived as personal. By abstracting the infrastructure challenges, Chert allows businesses to leverage iMessage for critical, high-volume customer interactions without significant in-house development.
Adjacent Tools
Workflow & Agents
India's Gig Economy Trains Robots for the Real World
A new service leverages India's distributed workforce to provide human-in-the-loop training and teleoperation for autonomous robots, addressing the challenges of real-world generalization.
Workflow & Agents
Rentflow's AI Vision: Optimizing Property Management
A new startup, Rentflow, signals its intent to apply machine learning to the complex world of real estate operations, from tenant screening to predictive maintenance.
Workflow & Agents
AI's Shifting Impact on Workflows: Lessons from ClickUp Layoffs
Recent workforce reductions at ClickUp highlight how AI-driven efficiencies are reshaping team structures and skill requirements across the tech industry.