Nearly a decade after Cyanogen shut down its Android operating system business after years of efforts to loosen Google’s grip failed, company co-founder Kurt McMaster is now targeting Microsoft’s Windows with a new operating system designed for people who rely heavily on artificial intelligence in their daily jobs.
McMaster’s company, Kora Systems, on Tuesday announced a Linux-based desktop operating system that integrates AI models and autonomous agents directly into the computing experience, allowing users to work across applications, access files, and maintain context between tasks. The software is scheduled to launch in 2027 as a free-to-use desktop operating system that will support existing Intel- and AMD-powered PCs, as well as machines powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips.
Kora leverages AI coding tools such as OpenAI’s Codex and Anthropic’s Claude to develop its eponymous operating system with a team of about 50 engineers. McMaster told TechCrunch that these tools have accelerated development by at least five times, with most of the gains occurring in the past six months.
Microsoft has long dominated the PC operating system market, making it difficult for new entrants to gain a foothold. Windows accounted for about 77% of the global desktop operating system market in October, while Apple’s OS X accounted for nearly 10%, according to web traffic data from StatCounter.
But McMaster doesn’t think Kora needs to compete for the entire Windows user base. Rather, he is targeting people who use AI extensively and are willing to pay for access to powerful models and services.
“Microsoft can sustain a billion users,” McMaster said, estimating that 45 million to 50 million users currently account for the majority of AI usage and revenue. He expects the market to exceed 200 million users by 2033.
McMaster told TechCrunch that his more than five years at Cyanogen taught him the dangers of relying on the very company you’re trying to challenge. Cyanogen continued to rely heavily on Google Mobile Services, even though it offered features beyond Google’s version of Android. This ultimately limited their ability to build independent ecosystems.
“If you’re trying to compete with the incumbents but you’re still dependent on them, you don’t have a chance,” he said.
Kora is based on an idea he pursued toward the end of the Cyanogen era, when the company began exploring ways to integrate third-party services directly into the operating system, McMaster said. At Kora, we want our AI models and agents to work across applications and access files without being limited to individual apps.
Previously known as McMaster’s game operating system company Playtron, the Palo Alto-based company rebranded to Kora in July 2025 to shift its focus to AI. McMaster said the decision comes as early companies like Perplexity and OpenAI are transitioning to AI-powered web browsers. He believed that operating systems were a better starting point because browsers don’t provide enough computer access for AI agents to perform more complex tasks.
The move also allowed Kora to build on nearly three years of work on Playtron’s Linux-based gaming operating system (called GameOS), rather than starting from scratch.
Kora is designed to allow users to interact with various AI models and agents across applications while tracking conversations, documents, and other information. It also allows AI agents to operate in separate workspaces with limited access to files and other resources.
McMaster is drawing on his experience at Cinogen, but none of Kora’s engineers had previously worked at Cinogen. Instead, the company hired heavily from the Linux gaming community, he told TechCrunch.
Kora’s software is built on Linux and uses Nix. It replaces the Fedora Silverblue foundation of Playtron’s previous GameOS.
Although Linux and Nix are open source, Kora’s proprietary technology, including the Cortex AI engine and desktop interface, remains proprietary, McMaster said. He said the company intends to support AI models and services from a variety of providers, but has not committed to open sourcing its software.
Gaming remains part of Kora’s plans. McMaster said the company will introduce AI-powered tools that will allow developers to create, publish and play games directly within the operating system. He added that support for Android apps is also on the roadmap.
McMaster told TechCrunch that Kora’s team has been working closely with Qualcomm engineers for about a year to optimize the OS specifically for Snapdragon-powered PCs. This collaboration includes support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite chips.
Along with Qualcomm, Kora is working with Saudi Arabian AI company Humain on an enterprise operating system called Humain OS that is expected to run on Snapdragon-powered laptops in 2027. Kora also plans to announce partnerships with PC manufacturers at a later date, although McMaster did not identify any companies or provide a specific timeline.
Kora plans to generate revenue through subscriptions that bundle access to AI models and agent services. Additionally, its Cortex engine is designed to run AI tasks locally when possible and use cloud-based models for work that requires more computing power.
Kora’s investors include Samsung Next, Square Enix, Alumni Ventures, Polychain, VanEck, and Circle, all of which previously backed Playtron. McMaster said the company has raised additional funding since shifting its focus to AI. However, the total amount raised and its valuation were not disclosed. He said Kora has enough funds to operate for several years.
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