After challenging Google’s Android with Cyanogen, its co-founder takes aim at Windows for AI era

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 with a new operating system designed for people who rely heavily on artificial intelligence in their everyday work.

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, allowing them 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.

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.

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 rather 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.

“If you are trying to compete with an incumbent but are still reliant on them, you have no chance,” he said.