Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing, predicts that traditional smartphone applications will soon become obsolete as AI agents take over user interactions. During an interview at SXSW in Austin this Wednesday, the executive warned that companies relying on apps as their core value proposition face inevitable disruption.
The Decline of the App-Centric Era
Pei argues that the current smartphone user experience—defined by lock screens, home screens, and manual navigation through various applications—has remained stagnant for two decades. Comparing modern mobile interactions to the era of Palm Pilots and PDAs, he criticized the inefficiency of current workflows.
“It’s very hard to get things done on a phone,” Pei stated. “To grab coffee, you currently have to juggle four different apps: messaging, maps, ride-sharing, and calendars. It is an old-school process that hasn’t evolved alongside our technology.”
Beyond Simple Commands: The Rise of Intent-Based AI
While some companies are testing AI features for basic tasks like booking flights, Pei dismissed these as “super boring.” Instead, his vision for an AI-first device focuses on long-term learning and intent recognition.
According to Pei, the next generation of smartphones should function as proactive agents. By deeply understanding a user’s habits and goals—such as health and wellness—the device will surface suggestions and execute actions without requiring manual input. The system will eventually anticipate needs that the user may not have even consciously identified.
Redesigning Interfaces for AI Agents
A critical component of this shift is the move away from human-centric interfaces. Pei emphasized that the future does not involve AI agents mimicking human touch by navigating menus and tapping buttons. Instead, developers must create interfaces specifically designed for AI agents to operate within.
While Pei acknowledged that apps will not disappear overnight—noting that Nothing’s own operating system currently supports mini-apps—he maintains that frictionless, agent-driven interaction is the only future-proof path. For Nothing, this vision is central to their strategy, having previously secured $200 million in Series C funding to pursue the development of an AI-first, highly personalized hardware ecosystem.