Overview
- Speaking at SXSW, the Nothing CEO said smartphone apps “are going to disappear” as persistent AI agents handle tasks and proactively surface suggestions.
- He outlined a two-stage path from simple command execution today to systems that learn long-term goals and act without prompts.
- Pei argued phones need agent-facing interfaces and APIs instead of bots that mimic taps, urging developers to open services for frictionless agent access.
- Recent launches were cited as proof points, including Google’s Gemini screen automation that prepares rides or orders in select apps and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 positioning for agentic assistants.
- He projected a 7–10 year horizon for apps to fade, expects phones to remain for at least five years as operating systems change, and warned app‑first startups of disruption, noting Nothing’s $200 million raise tied to its AI‑first vision.