It is extremely obvious at this point that the vast majority of apps will be replaced by personalised, one-to-one programs that a user’s AI assistant will simply build and maintain for them at will, exactly as they want, on the fly.
The inversion from apps to intelligence is inevitable, because no one ever wanted an app in the first place - they wanted their problem solved as cheaply, quickly and effectively as possible.
The SaaS apocalypse has barely begun. We are in the opening act.
This is not the way the world will work.
Apps are curated to suit particular workflows and can teach how to do something through its interface that a user wouldn’t even know they needed.
Apps provide a social/communication layer that personal software can’t provide.
Apps provide a common platform for teaching skills built on top of the app. In a new domain you can’t learn from any other users if you’re the only one.
Personal software is wonderful, but platforms, data, and social connections will still remain entrenched for years to come. YouTube, Gmail, and Google Maps won’t suddenly be replaced with personal software. WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram won’t disappear. Netflix and Disney+ aren’t threatened. A budding video editor won’t remake DaVinci Resolve before learning their craft. You’re not going to play your own knock-off Minecraft when you could be playing with friends.
When these are the majority of apps people spend their time with, it’s unreasonable to claim that it’s “extremely obvious” that personal software will take over. Personal software will grow alongside traditional software.