AI can now code anything on the fly, causing a sea of simple apps to evaporate. But as the software disappears, power condenses into the hands of a few winners... // NB: Le Français suit l'anglais
Very interesting read. The idea that software is "evaporating" into a mist of ephemeral, on-demand functions is a compelling one. Jean-Paul, you say that AI will soon make single-purpose apps obsolete, transforming the digital landscape. This could lead to a stratified future where a few major platforms ("infrastructure" and "professional fortresses") reign supreme, creating a new "software feudalism."
You also argue that there will be a clear separation between "professional fortresses": 1) the reliable, accountable tools for serious work and 2)ephemeral apps for simple tasks. But what if the line between a "simple" and a "serious" task is blurry?
Here is what I am thinking: A surgeon won't use an ephemeral tool to perform a complex operation, but an AI-powered invocation could help them find and summarize a patient's entire medical history in seconds. This ephemeral function would be a powerful tool, but its reliability and accountability would depend on the "professional fortress" or "infrastructure" it's built upon.
I'm thinking it might not be a matter of "app or no app," but a spectrum of integration and reliability. The evaporation isn't of the software itself, but of the clunky, traditional user interface that sits on top of it.
You are right. What evaporates first might be the specifics of interface …. Indeed trust and reliability remain major factors for having “predetermined” softwares !
Very interesting read. The idea that software is "evaporating" into a mist of ephemeral, on-demand functions is a compelling one. Jean-Paul, you say that AI will soon make single-purpose apps obsolete, transforming the digital landscape. This could lead to a stratified future where a few major platforms ("infrastructure" and "professional fortresses") reign supreme, creating a new "software feudalism."
You also argue that there will be a clear separation between "professional fortresses": 1) the reliable, accountable tools for serious work and 2)ephemeral apps for simple tasks. But what if the line between a "simple" and a "serious" task is blurry?
Here is what I am thinking: A surgeon won't use an ephemeral tool to perform a complex operation, but an AI-powered invocation could help them find and summarize a patient's entire medical history in seconds. This ephemeral function would be a powerful tool, but its reliability and accountability would depend on the "professional fortress" or "infrastructure" it's built upon.
I'm thinking it might not be a matter of "app or no app," but a spectrum of integration and reliability. The evaporation isn't of the software itself, but of the clunky, traditional user interface that sits on top of it.
You are right. What evaporates first might be the specifics of interface …. Indeed trust and reliability remain major factors for having “predetermined” softwares !