Nothing CEO Carl Pei says AI agents will eventually replace apps, shifting smartphones toward systems that understand intent and act on a user's behalf.

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Nothing CEO Carl Pei, speaking at SXSW, predicts that smartphone apps will eventually be replaced by AI agents that understand user intent and act autonomously. He argues the current app-based phone paradigm hasn't fundamentally changed in 20 years, and envisions a future where an AI-first device handles tasks like booking coffee meetups without explicit commands. Pei outlines a progression from simple command execution to proactive, personalized AI suggestions. He also notes that future interfaces should be designed for AI agents to use directly, not for humans to navigate — though apps won't disappear immediately.

Nothing CEO Carl Pei says smartphone apps will disappear as AI agents take their place