Cyanogen Co-Founder Takes Aim at Windows with AI-Native Operating System
Nearly a decade after Cyanogen shut down its Android operating-system business—following a years-long, unsuccessful effort to loosen Google's dominance—co-founder Kirt McMaster is now targeting Microsoft's Windows. His new venture is an operating system built for people who rely heavily on artificial intelligence in their everyday work.
Kora Systems Unveils Linux-Based AI Desktop OS
McMaster's company, Kora Systems, on Tuesday unveiled a Linux-based desktop operating system that integrates AI models and autonomous agents directly into the computing experience. The system allows these agents to work across applications, access files, and retain context between tasks.
The software is expected to launch in 2027 as a free-to-use desktop operating system, with support for existing Intel- and AMD-powered PCs as well as machines running Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips.
Small Team, Accelerated Development
Kora is developing the eponymous operating system with a team of about 50 engineers, relying on AI coding tools including OpenAI's Codex and Anthropic's Claude. McMaster told TechCrunch that these tools have accelerated development by at least fivefold, with most of the gains coming over the past six months.
Targeting AI Power Users, Not All Windows Users
Microsoft has long dominated the PC operating-system market, making it hard for newer players to establish a foothold. Windows held about 77% of the worldwide desktop operating-system market in October, compared with nearly 10% for Apple's OS X, according to StatCounter's web traffic data.
However, McMaster believes Kora does not need to compete for Windows' entire user base. He is instead targeting people who use AI extensively and are willing to pay for access to powerful models and services.
"Microsoft can keep its billion users," McMaster said, estimating that 45 million to 50 million people currently account for much of AI usage and revenue. He expects that market to exceed 200 million users by 2033.
Lessons from Cyanogen
McMaster told TechCrunch that his experience at Cyanogen, where he spent over five years, taught him the dangers of relying on the very company he was trying to challenge. Cyanogen remained heavily dependent on Google Mobile Services despite offering features beyond Google's version of Android. That ultimately restricted its ability to build an independent ecosystem.
"If you are trying to compete with an incumbent but are still reliant on them, you have no chance," he said.
Kora, McMaster said, builds on an idea he pursued toward the end of his time at Cyanogen, when he began exploring ways to integrate third-party services directly into the operating system. With Kora, he wants AI models and agents to work across applications and access files without being confined to individual apps.