Nothing: Will AI Replace Mobile Apps?

The Future of Mobile Apps According to Carl Pei

Carl Pei, co-founder and CEO of Nothing, recently shared his radical vision for the future of mobile applications. According to him, apps as we know them today are destined to disappear, replaced by intelligent agents. In September 2025, Nothing successfully raised $200 million to develop a so-called "native" artificial intelligence platform, which valued the company at $1.3 billion.

For Pei, the current use of smartphones is outdated. He believes that the user experience has not evolved in twenty years. During a presentation on stage in Austin, he illustrated his point with the example of a simple outing to get coffee, which requires the use of multiple apps: one for messaging, another for navigation, a third for transportation, and finally one for the calendar. This model, he argues, has not changed since the advent of the first iPhone, with its lock screen and grid of icons.

A Long-Awaited Technological Breakthrough

Carl Pei sees AI agents as the long-awaited breakthrough for smartphones. This is not merely an assistant that executes tasks on demand, but a system capable of learning and anticipating the user's needs. Pei envisions a system that, much like ChatGPT's memory, could propose solutions even before the user feels the need for them. He describes current assistants as "super boring" and aims for technology that goes beyond simple command execution.

Rethinking the User Interface

Currently, some companies are developing agents capable of navigating interfaces designed for humans. Carl Pei criticizes this approach and proposes creating interfaces specifically tailored for agents. "The future is not an agent using a human interface. We need to create an interface that the agent can use," he stated. This involves rebuilding applications with APIs designed for machines.

Nothing has already begun to explore this path with its "Essential Apps," programmable widgets directly from Nothing OS. These lightweight applications represent a first step towards experiences fully driven by agents.

A Warning for Developers

Carl Pei also issued a warning to startup founders whose value relies on a single application. He encourages them to open APIs or MCP connectors to allow agents to easily integrate with their services.

Implications for Tech Giants

Carl Pei believes that this transition could materialize within seven to ten years, although current smartphones are expected to last at least another five years. However, he urges Apple and Google to prepare now. These companies derive a significant portion of their revenue from purchases made through their app stores, with commissions reaching up to 30%. Apple takes up to 30% on in-app purchases from the App Store, and Google applies a similar policy on the Play Store.

If AI agents begin to bypass these applications to access services directly, it could shake the economic model that has been in place for two decades. Pei predicts that voice will become the primary mode of interaction, even though the screen will remain essential for display, clarifying that the screen will still be the main output.

A Small Company with Big Ambitions

Although Nothing currently represents only a tiny fraction of the global market, accounting for less than 1%, the rapid evolution of AI could quickly change the game. Carl Pei's vision, while radical, could very well be the prelude to a major transformation in the smartphone industry.