Kiwi is an AI assistant that lives in Messages on your iPhone. You don't open an app to use it. It texts you first when something needs doing, and it does it when you say yes.
This guide covers what Kiwi does in Messages, how to start, and a few things that make it work better.
What Kiwi does in Messages
Most assistants wait for you to ask. Kiwi goes first. It keeps an eye on your calendar and email, notices what needs doing, and sends you one message at the right time:
Your Saturday afternoon is free. Want me to plan something with the kids?
Your flight to London tomorrow is delayed by an hour. Want me to book a car for 7:30 so you're not rushing? UberX is €34, Comfort €41
You reply with a word or two, and Kiwi does the rest. It books, orders and replies on any app or website, and tells you when it's done. It only says something is booked once the company confirms it.
You can also just ask, the way you would text a friend who is good at getting things done:
- "Remind me to call Mum at 6"
- "Find three good dentists near me, take your time"
- "Book a table for four on Friday"
- "Tell me when Marta replies about the deposit"
For anything that takes a while, Kiwi gets on with it and messages you when it's finished. You don't have to wait in the chat.
How to start
You need an iPhone or a Mac with iMessage turned on.
- Text Kiwi. On your iPhone or Mac, go to heykiwi.co, tap Sign up, then pick iMessage. It opens with "Hi Kiwi" already written. Just press send.
- Answer a few questions. Kiwi asks your name, your birthday and your email, and asks you to accept the terms. You answer in the chat, in your own words.
- That's it. There is no app to download and no password to make. Your number is your account.
Connect your apps
Kiwi notices more when it can see more. Say "connect Gmail" or "connect Google Calendar" and Kiwi walks you through it. You choose exactly what to connect, and you can disconnect any app at any time by asking.
Once your email is connected, Kiwi reads new mail to decide what's worth telling you, so you hear about the reply you were waiting for without checking your inbox.
What Kiwi can see
Kiwi only sees the messages you send to it. It cannot read your other conversations in Messages. It sees the apps you connect, and only those. More on this in Is Kiwi safe?.
Tips for getting the most out of it
- Reply the way you talk. "Yes", "the cheaper one", "make it 8 instead". Kiwi understands a normal reply.
- Write in any language. Kiwi answers in yours.
- Let it ask for codes. When a website sends you a sign-in code, Kiwi asks you for it in the chat. Paste it in and it carries on.
- Expect the price first. Anything that costs money shows its price before Kiwi books it. If the price changes, it asks again.
- Tell it what you like. "Always the window seat", "no spicy food". Kiwi remembers, so you only say it once.
Not on an iPhone?
Kiwi is on WhatsApp too, for any phone. See Kiwi on WhatsApp.
Questions people ask
Is Kiwi a real person? No. Kiwi is an AI assistant. Nobody at Kiwi reads your conversations.
Does it cost anything? Kiwi is free to use right now. The things it books, like a ride, are paid to the company, at the price Kiwi shows you first. See Is Kiwi free?
Will Kiwi message me all day? No. Kiwi messages you once, at the right time, and only when something needs you.
Do I need to download an app? No. Kiwi works right in Messages. Your phone number is your account.