Nothing CEO Pei Predicts AI Agents to Replace Apps

Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing, predicted at the South by Southwest conference in Austin that artificial intelligence agents will soon replace traditional smartphone apps, fundamentally reshaping how users interact with their devices.

Speaking to attendees, Pei argued that the current app-centric model, which has dominated smartphones since the iPhone's launch in 2007, is outdated and inefficient. "Apps are going to disappear," he said, emphasizing that this shift is inevitable "whether you like it or not." He described the typical smartphone experience as stagnant, unchanged for two decades with lock screens, home screens, and fullscreen applications reminiscent of early personal digital assistants like Palm Pilots. Pei highlighted everyday frustrations, such as coordinating a simple coffee meetup, which requires navigating messaging, maps, ride-sharing, and calendar apps. In his vision, AI agents would eliminate these steps by understanding user intentions and executing tasks autonomously.

Pei outlined the evolution of AI on smartphones in stages. The first, already emerging in features from companies like Google and Samsung, involves agents performing specific commands, such as...