Nothing CEO Carl Pei predicts smartphone apps will vanish as AI agents take over
Carl Pei says AI agents will replace smartphone apps eventually as devices learn user intentions and handle tasks automatically through an agent-focused interface.
Pei said AI agents will learn what users want and do tasks automatically. Current phones use many apps for one task. For example, getting coffee needs messaging, maps, Uber, and calendar apps. Pei thinks AI should just do these things without going through multiple apps.
“Right now, phones haven’t changed much in 20 years,” Pei explained. “You have apps and screens to touch. It’s still like old devices called Palm Pilots.”
The technology works in steps. First, AI helps users by booking things. Next, it learns long-term goals, like being healthier. Finally, AI knows user intentions and acts without being told.
Pei said an AI phone would have a different screen. No app icons. Instead, AI agents would use their own interface. This helps them work faster without tapping through menus.
Near-term, Pei said apps won’t disappear soon. Nothing phones let users make simple mini-apps. But eventually, Pei believes AI agents will need their own system to control devices.
“You need to create an interface for the agent to use, not humans,” Pei concluded. “That’s the future-proof way to build these devices.”