The Interaction Company's AI assistant Poke is now part of Cognition, bringing its friendly chatbot skills to the coding world. Poke, known for its casual conversations and sense of humor, will integrate with Cognition’s Devin to make the experience more engaging for users.

‘You probably prefer it if you have co-workers that have personality, rather than if you have co-workers that are just robots,’ explained co-founder Marvin von Hagen. Poke's ability to chat like a friend could make coding less of a chore and more enjoyable.

First launched in March 2026, Poke has been used for tasks ranging from travel to education, with over 100 million messages exchanged by users. However, operating costs have made it tough to turn a profit, prompting the acquisition deal. The integration of Cognition’s SWE-1.7 model may improve reliability and efficiency.

For now, Poke will remain on Apple's Messages for Business platform. In 2024, both Poke and Devin will experiment with combining their strengths. “Poke can orchestrate different Devin sessions,” said von Hagen, envisioning a seamless experience where AI co-workers become more than just tools.