AI-powered operating systems are on the horizon, and they're poised to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. Imagine a world where you can ask an AI agent to book your travel, order lunch, or restock your paper towels without having to visit apps or websites. This is the future that tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI are racing to develop.
The catch is that this new paradigm could rewrite the business model for many consumer tech companies. Apps that currently rely on users visiting them multiple times a day to serve ads and upsell services might see their revenue streams dry up as AI agents take over. Companies like Uber and DoorDash have historically relied on keeping consumers in their apps, but if AI-powered operating systems become prevalent, they may find themselves struggling to compete.
Investors are already taking note of this trend. Anjney Midha, an investor and board member at Sesame – the AI device startup co-founded by former Oculus leaders including Brendan Iribe – notes that companies without "deep control over the supply of their product" will struggle to operate in a world where users interact with AI agents.
The developer platform has historically been a key part of building successful operating systems, but the relationship between tech giants and developers has never been without tension. Apple, for example, takes up to 30 percent of all in-app purchases, which can make it difficult for smaller developers to compete.
Rabbit, a startup behind the R1 device that debuted at CES 2024, has already hit this wall. CEO Jesse Lyu notes that major app developers like Uber declined to grant Rabbit API access, forcing the company to build workarounds to let its devices tap into apps without formal access.
Meanwhile, Amazon is suing Perplexity over an AI-powered shopping agent that could purchase items on behalf of users. The move highlights the challenges companies are facing as they try to integrate AI agents into their platforms.
Despite these challenges, many tech companies see the potential for novel app experiences that are intermediated by AI tools. Companies like DoorDash, Instacart, and Expedia have signed up to build early forms of AI apps within ChatGPT, while Ticketmaster, Uber, and OpenTable debuted as early agentic features for Alexa+.
The question is: which company will deliver the next breakthrough in AI? The competition is fiercer than ever, with former OpenAI research leaders landing massive contracts with Meta, Anthropic, and Google.
The catch is that this new paradigm could rewrite the business model for many consumer tech companies. Apps that currently rely on users visiting them multiple times a day to serve ads and upsell services might see their revenue streams dry up as AI agents take over. Companies like Uber and DoorDash have historically relied on keeping consumers in their apps, but if AI-powered operating systems become prevalent, they may find themselves struggling to compete.
Investors are already taking note of this trend. Anjney Midha, an investor and board member at Sesame – the AI device startup co-founded by former Oculus leaders including Brendan Iribe – notes that companies without "deep control over the supply of their product" will struggle to operate in a world where users interact with AI agents.
The developer platform has historically been a key part of building successful operating systems, but the relationship between tech giants and developers has never been without tension. Apple, for example, takes up to 30 percent of all in-app purchases, which can make it difficult for smaller developers to compete.
Rabbit, a startup behind the R1 device that debuted at CES 2024, has already hit this wall. CEO Jesse Lyu notes that major app developers like Uber declined to grant Rabbit API access, forcing the company to build workarounds to let its devices tap into apps without formal access.
Meanwhile, Amazon is suing Perplexity over an AI-powered shopping agent that could purchase items on behalf of users. The move highlights the challenges companies are facing as they try to integrate AI agents into their platforms.
Despite these challenges, many tech companies see the potential for novel app experiences that are intermediated by AI tools. Companies like DoorDash, Instacart, and Expedia have signed up to build early forms of AI apps within ChatGPT, while Ticketmaster, Uber, and OpenTable debuted as early agentic features for Alexa+.
The question is: which company will deliver the next breakthrough in AI? The competition is fiercer than ever, with former OpenAI research leaders landing massive contracts with Meta, Anthropic, and Google.
it's like steven universes future right now! but for real tho i think its gonna change the game for tech companies big time especially those that rely on app visits 4 ad revenue idk how they'll cope lol 
and i'm low-key hyped 4 those devs who are building workarounds tho they're like the rebels of tech lol 
and btw i need an ai-powered travel booking agent ASAP i'd love to just ask siri 2 book me a flight 5 min from now 
️
It's crazy! 70% of businesses plan to adopt AI-powered chatbots by 2026 
and it's no wonder why - they're like, 99.9% accurate 
compared to human customer support agents who are only like, 50-60% accurate 
because AI-powered operating systems are taking over 
. And let's not forget about the developer platform - it's like, super important for building successful operating systems 
. Companies without deep control over their product supply will struggle to compete 
because major app developers won't grant them API access 
. But they're still trying to innovate and create new app experiences with AI tools 
.
It's anyone's game! 
It's all about control and power, and I'm not holding my breath for any of these tech giants to do things right.
It's all just a recipe for disaster in my book.
I need to try it ASAP! Did you guys ever have that one restaurant near the beach where they had the best eggplant parmesan?
. It's wild to think that we'll be interacting with tech in such a seamless way. But at the same time, I can see how companies might struggle to keep up, especially the ones that rely on all those little interactions between users and their apps. Like, Uber is already feeling it, right? 
.