What does a post-software world look like? Are we heading towards one? Or will we see an explosion of choice?
The more apps I see, the less excited I am about any of them. I can only imagine this becomes more pronounced the more tools we have available to us. 🤔
Thoughts?
Everything that can be built will be built.
How much of it will just sit idle until deleted?
I don’t think we are headed to a post-software world. More like a post-handwritten-code world.
More and more, I see AI tools analogous to power tools on a construction site. In trained hands a nail-gun can 10x your speed in framing a wall, but you can also accidentally put a nail through your foot. A chop saw can shorten your build time significantly, but it can also permanently shorten your finger(s).
As long as there are problems which software can solve, we’ll need software. Perhaps the SaaS model will die as it becomes increasingly easy to no-code yourself to the same features as the SaaS app you need? The price of software will trend towards free but never quite reach $0 given many applications rely on or benefit from remote or so-called “cloud” infrastructure.
Perhaps in 5-10 years we’ll have “handcrafted software, 100% handmade, no AI” for those hipsters who are still spinning vinyl records?
Good points. Perhaps I’m thinking further down the road beyond 10x or even 100x improvement. If anyone can do the job 100x better faster stronger, then some automated solution should be able to do it 1000x better, or even go beyond the form factor we think the solution will occupy.
In this future scenario, I think we have an explosion of software, not the end of it.
In my opinion the age of big software companies is over. Not everyone will build his own software but instead everyone will "follow" some independet developer that shares the same values, ui/ux preferences etc. and then use this software and might support this dev with a small patreon. So the world will have many small independent devs that build for their 1000+ "friends" that share the same values.
I feel like exact opposite will happen. At first, we’ll have an explosion of choice of software, but eventually it will all be so easy to make that power will once again concentrate in a few hands. Much as we shifted from browsing independent websites to curated consumption, we’ll likely see a similar trend of going from too much choice to curated solutions. Those that integrate most smoothly will win.
Why should it focus in a few hands if it's too easy? I see it myself, if I see now a app that i don't like fully but use regularly I simply build a better version with a "few" prompts. Definitely would not have happened before AI tools have been here.
I’m thinking beyond apps. When the digital world is more closely integrated with the real one - I feel like only large companies will enable the best experiences. I could be wrong.
If you are talking about AR etc. no clue. Personally I'm not gonna touch this next level surveillance stuff. Also planning already my "exit" from tech and internet. Meaning I'm gonna reduce my devices and time spent online by at least 80% and focus on having quality offline time. The upcoming of AI has convinced me to start with it asap I expect we will all get bombarded with personalized content etc. Time to use internet/technology as a tool only and not a "lifestyle" and claim back a decent attention span etc. At least that's how I see it.
The less app I have, the happier I am, PWA ftw.
I don't know of my sentiment is common, but since covid I have felt the urge to detach myself from softwares, PCs, smartphones and apps. My goal would be a more rural life with a dumbphone, but I'm still working a 9-5 job and this damn black slab is required.
I believe many people will have this urge, but AI is pulling many back in.
I def have less of a tech desire but I can’t tell if that’s anything to do with AI or just a shifting of life priorities. I want to be in the real world more than the digital. It feels like we may eventually have factions of those who embrace an ai infused lifestyle and those who are more purist in living with less tech.
These days I only care about apps I build. Having less interest daily to build things for people probably because I can deal with imperfections but most can't and would just take more effort.
