Ai Prediction #2, A World without Apps

By Greg Walters

​It's pretty simple: Artificial Intelligence eliminates the application layer.

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In the beginning, commercial businesses did not have a computerized accounting system, a CRM, word-processing, spreadsheet, or even email. As technology in business grew, larger companies afforded 'mainframes', and 'minicomputers' and programmers.

​That's right.

​In the olden days, a company staffed programmers to write specific applications for the company's unique requirements. Every company that could afford to, would hire a staff of programmers to write, maintain, support and update a customized piece of software which solved specific business problems.

​There were multiple pieces of hardware with different operating systems so every single solution was unique and could only be used by the creating entity. ABC's purchase ordering software would not work on DEF's computer and or with their data set.

Every tool you use today, from writing letters, looking up company information, generating financials to opening voice mail is simple a piece of programming between you and your data." -GRW

1. Evolution of Business Software: The article traces the journey from customized company-specific software to the age of standardized applications like WordStar, Lotus123, and eventually to SaaS and apps. This historical perspective highlights how business needs have continuously shaped software development.
2. Rise of Personal AI: It introduces the concept of 'personal AI', a futuristic vision where AI becomes an all-encompassing tool, replacing the need for multiple applications. This represents a significant leap from our current use of discrete apps for specific tasks.
3. AI's Integration in Business and Personal Life: The article imagines a world where AI seamlessly integrates into both corporate and personal realms, becoming the single interface for all data interaction. It's a thought-provoking scenario that challenges the current norms of application usage and data management.

Every, single, solution was unique.

​When a standard operating system, like DOS and Windows became available on standard hardware, (Intel processors) shrink wrapped software packages hit the market. WordStar and WordPerfect for writing letters and documents, Multiplan and Lotus123 for spreadsheets and DBIII and IV for database functions. Individuals and companies simple purchased a box (or dozens of boxes) off the shelf, installed the software on a PC and began to work. One would own a physical copy of the software - it was yours and part of the company assets, like phones, trucks and office furniture.

Fast forward to the cloud (SaaS) and the advent of small applications, we call them apps, and now all of our business functions are either executed, contained or store, off-site, in the 'cloud'. With security concerns mounting, talk of 'personal Ai' is beginning to take shape. Indeed, with nVidia and HP's recent release and announcements of Ai on the chip, the security issue may be more approachable if each of us had our own, localized, Ai data, self-contained on a specific hardware platform. And here, dear reader is the SaaS and App rub.

As we engage Ai at a deeper level, the Ai learns what we like and how we like to consume what it is we like.

Your Ai becomes ALL THE APPS. No need for a spreadsheet, your Ai will calculate everything from the speed of light to your next three months food budget. Amazon app? No. Apple Music? Nostalgic. Your company's Ai will reside on corporate computers. But SalesForce? Nope. MS-Office? Nada. Can you imagine a world without an inbox?

Why?

​Consider this: Every tool you use, from writing letters, looking up company information, generating financials and opening voice mail is a piece of programming. Programming that a human created. Programming that sits between you and your data.

Ai, your Personal Ai, presents everything from a financial analysis to airline reservations; in a memo, slide presentation or barcode.  Because Ai evolves from a retrieval compute to a generative compute - instead of searching for an answer, your AI will generate an answer.

Your Ai becomes your operating system, your word processer, email, spreadsheet, CRM, helpdesk and therapist.

Ai Eats The World.