When the iPhone launched in 2007, it revolutionalised the phone industry. Gone were the old keypad phones or those capacitive-touch smartphones, everyone wanted the iPhone – to use apps, have a nice touchscreen, and a clean software experience. Now, Nothing CEO Carl Pei believes that we are set for another revolution in the smartphone industry, one that could replace apps with AI agents.
Carl reckons that for almost two decades, the smartphone experience has been stagnated with the same elements. He told SXSW, “You have lock screens, home screens, apps. You browse different apps. Each app is like a full-screen thing. There’s some kind of app store that allows you to download more apps. So, it hasn’t really changed for like, 20 years.”
Pei added, “In terms of AI in software, I think people should understand that apps are going to disappear.”
AI is already rattling the software industry. Tools like Anthropic’s Claude Cowork have shaken investor confidence in SaaS companies such as TCS and Infosys. SaaS companies like Atlassian have laid off thousands of workers as they prepare to be more AI-driven.
Nothing CEO says AI will know you and do things for you
The Nothing chief believes that AI can transform how we use smartphones completely. According to Pei, AI agents will make it much simpler when it comes to getting tasks done. He said, “It’s very hard to get things done on a phone It’s probably like four apps to grab coffee with somebody — some messaging app, some kind of maps, Uber, calendar.”
Instead of going through various apps to arrange for a coffee meeting, the AI agent will do it all for the user at once. He explained, “I think the future of smartphones or operating systems should just be, ‘I know you very well, and if I know your intention, I just do it for you.’”
Currently, AI tools execute tasks given by the user – thus, the entire process relies on a prompt or an idea. However, the Nothing chief believes that soon, AI will know you so well that it could even take over the idea part. He added, “You don’t have to manually come up with an ideawhen the system knows us so well, it will come up with things that we don’t even [know] we wanted.”
Carl Pei warns startups, your apps will be disrupted
The Nothing CEO’s vision of an all-AI smartphone experience could become a problem for startups or companies that rely primarily on apps as part of their business model.
Carl hinted that perhaps these companies need to start thinking differently if they want to survive in the long term. He added, “So, if you’re a founder or a startup and your app is like where the core value lies, that will be disrupted whether you like it or not.”
Nothing is already integrating AI with its devices. The company’s essential apps feature allows users to create “personalised apps” or widgets by vibe coding – users can give prompts, and the AI makes the app for them. Nothing phones also come with an essential space feature that can categorise and store your captures with voice recordings for later use.
