Kirt McMaster, co-founder of Cyanogen, whose Android operating-system business shut down, has unveiled a Linux-based desktop operating system built around artificial intelligence, as his Palo Alto company Kora Systems takes aim at Microsoft’s Windows. The software, which integrates AI models and autonomous agents directly into the computing experience, is expected to launch in 2027 as a free-to-use operating system supporting existing Intel- and AMD-powered PCs as well as machines running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips.
Kora, formerly a gaming operating-system company called Playtron, rebranded in July 2025 as it shifted its focus to AI. The decision came as early companies including Perplexity and OpenAI were moving into AI-powered web browsers; McMaster said browsers would not give AI agents enough access to a computer to carry out more complex tasks, making an operating system a better starting point. The shift allowed Kora to build on nearly three years of work developing Playtron’s Linux-based gaming system, GameOS, instead of starting from scratch.
The new operating system lets AI models and agents work across applications, access files and retain context between tasks. Agents can operate in separate workspaces with restricted access to files and other resources. Kora is being developed by a team of about 50 engineers using AI coding tools including OpenAI's Codex and Anthropic's Claude, which McMaster told TechCrunch accelerated development by at least fivefold, with most of the gains coming over the past six months.
McMaster believes Kora does not need to compete for Windows’ entire user base. Microsoft’s 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. Instead, he is targeting people who use AI extensively and are willing to pay for access to powerful models and services. “Microsoft can keep its billion users,” he said, estimating that 45 million to 50 million people currently account for much of AI usage and revenue, and that he expects the market to exceed 200 million users by 2033.
McMaster spent more than five years at Cyanogen, which shut down its Android operating-system business almost a decade ago after an unsuccessful effort to loosen Google's dominance. He said the experience 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, which 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's software is built on Linux and uses Nix, replacing the Fedora Silverblue foundation of Playtron's earlier GameOS. While Linux and Nix are open source, Kora's own technology, including its Cortex AI engine and desktop interface, remains proprietary. The company has worked closely with Qualcomm's engineers for nearly a year to optimise the operating system for Snapdragon-powered PCs, including Snapdragon X2 Elite chips, and is working with Saudi Arabia's AI company Humain on an enterprise version, Humain OS, expected to run on Snapdragon-powered laptops in 2027. Partnerships with PC manufacturers are planned later, though McMaster did not name companies or give a timeline.
Kora plans to generate revenue through subscriptions that bundle access to AI models and agentic services; the Cortex engine is designed to run AI tasks locally when possible and use cloud-based models for work requiring more computing power. Gaming remains part of the plans, with AI-powered tools intended to let developers create, publish and play games directly within the operating system, and Android app support on the roadmap. The company’s investors include Samsung Next, Square Enix, Alumni Ventures, Polychain, VanEck and Circle, all of which previously backed Playtron. McMaster said Kora has raised additional funding since shifting its focus to AI, but declined to disclose the total amount raised or its valuation, saying the company has enough funding to operate for several years.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Kora is betting the next personal-computing platform will be organised around AI agents that work across applications rather than traditional apps, and that heavy AI users will want an alternative to Windows.
- A free-to-use, AI-native desktop OS due in 2027 would give users a cross-vendor choice of models and agents, with local processing where possible and cloud models for heavier tasks.
- The launch, backed by Qualcomm and Saudi AI company Humain, signals that the AI platform battle is moving beyond browsers and apps to the operating system itself.
Background
McMaster previously co-founded Cyanogen, whose alternative version of Android once posed the most prominent independent challenge to Google's control of the mobile operating system. That business shut down nearly a decade ago. Kora began as Playtron, a Linux-based gaming operating-system company, before McMaster rebranded it in July 2025 to concentrate on AI. The company says it is building on nearly three years of work on Playtron's GameOS rather than starting from scratch.
What to Watch
- Whether Kora names PC-manufacturer partners; McMaster said announcements were planned but gave no names or timeline.
- The arrival of Humain OS, the enterprise version built with Saudi Arabia's Humain, expected on Snapdragon-powered laptops in 2027 alongside the consumer release.
- Whether Kora's free-to-use model and subscription bundles for AI models and agentic services gain traction with the estimated 45 million to 50 million heavy AI users in the market today.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedKora Systems unveiled a new operating system aimed at Microsoft’s Windows.Startups | TechCrunch: “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”
- SupportedKirt McMaster is Cyanogen’s co-founder, and Cyanogen shut down its Android operating-system business almost a decade ago.Startups | TechCrunch: “Almost a decade after Cyanogen shut down its Android operating-system business following a years-long, unsuccessful effort to loosen Google’s dominance, its co-founder, Kirt McMaster, is now targeting Microsoft’s Windows”
- SupportedKora’s Linux desktop is expected to launch in 2027 as a free-to-use operating system for existing Intel- and AMD-powered PCs and Qualcomm Snapdragon machines.Startups | TechCrunch: “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.”
- SupportedKora integrates AI models and autonomous agents into the computing experience, allowing them to work across applications, access files and retain context.Startups | TechCrunch: “integrates AI models and autonomous agents directly into the computing experience, allowing them to work across applications, access files, and retain context between tasks.”
- SupportedPlaytron rebranded as Kora in July 2025 as the company shifted its focus to AI.Startups | TechCrunch: “Previously known as Playtron , a gaming operating-system company led by McMaster, the Palo Alto-based company rebranded as Kora in July 2025 as it shifted its focus to AI.”
- SupportedMcMaster said browsers would not give AI agents enough computer access for complex tasks, making an operating system a better starting point.Startups | TechCrunch: “He believed browsers would not give AI agents enough access to a computer to carry out more complex tasks, making an operating system a better starting point.”
- SupportedKora has about 50 engineers, and McMaster said AI coding tools accelerated development by at least fivefold.Startups | TechCrunch: “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”
- SupportedWindows held about 77% of the worldwide desktop operating-system market in October, compared with nearly 10% for Apple’s OS X, according to StatCounter web traffic data.Startups | TechCrunch: “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.”
- SupportedMcMaster said, “Microsoft can keep its billion users.”Startups | TechCrunch: ““Microsoft can keep its billion users,” McMaster said”
- SupportedMcMaster estimated that 45 million to 50 million people currently account for much of AI usage and revenue, and expects the market to exceed 200 million users by 2033.Startups | TechCrunch: “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.”
- SupportedMcMaster said, “If you are trying to compete with an incumbent but are still reliant on them, you have no chance.”Startups | TechCrunch: ““If you are trying to compete with an incumbent but are still reliant on them, you have no chance,” he said.”
- SupportedKora has worked with Qualcomm’s engineers for nearly a year to optimise the operating system for Snapdragon PCs, including support for Snapdragon X2 Elite chips.Startups | TechCrunch: “Kora’s team has worked closely with Qualcomm’s engineers for nearly a year to optimize the operating system specifically for Snapdragon-powered PCs. The collaboration includes support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite chips.”
