Kirt McMaster, co-founder of the defunct Android fork Cyanogen, unveiled Kora Systems on Tuesday. The Palo Alto company is building a Linux-based desktop operating system that integrates AI models and autonomous agents directly into computing, allowing them to work across applications and retain context between tasks. The software launches in 2027 as free-to-use and supports Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm Snapdragon chips.

Kora's team of about 50 engineers used OpenAI's Codex and Anthropic's Claude to accelerate development by at least fivefold over the past six months, McMaster told TechCrunch. The company previously operated as Playtron, a gaming operating-system startup, and rebranded in July 2025 as it shifted focus to AI.

McMaster said Kora does not need to compete for Windows' entire market. Windows holds about 77% of worldwide desktop operating-system share as of October, compared with nearly 10% for Apple's OS X, according to StatCounter. Instead, McMaster targets the 45 million to 50 million people who use AI extensively and will pay for access to powerful models. He expects that market to exceed 200 million users by 2033.

"Microsoft can keep its billion users," McMaster said. He cited lessons from Cyanogen, where he spent over five years. "If you are trying to compete with an incumbent but are still reliant on them, you have no chance," he said, noting that Cyanogen remained dependent on Google Mobile Services despite offering features beyond Google's Android.

Kora's technology, including its Cortex AI engine and desktop interface, remains proprietary, though the software runs on open-source Linux and Nix. The company plans to generate revenue through subscriptions bundling AI models and agentic services. The Cortex engine runs AI tasks locally when possible and uses cloud-based models for heavier computing needs.

Kora will launch an enterprise version called Humain OS in partnership with Saudi Arabia's AI company Humain, expected to run on Snapdragon-powered laptops in 2027. The company has worked with Qualcomm's engineers for nearly a year to optimize for Snapdragon X2 Elite chips.

Investors in Kora include Samsung Next, Square Enix, Alumni Ventures, Polychain, VanEck, and Circle, all of which previously backed Playtron. McMaster declined to disclose total funding raised, valuation, or specific PC manufacturer partnerships, though he said Kora has funding for several years of operations and plans to announce partnerships later.

Gaming features remain on the roadmap, including AI-powered tools for developers to create and play games within the operating system. Support for Android apps is also planned.