The Twilight of Apps and the Dawn of AI: Navigating the Chaotic Transition
If we define the ultimate form of software interaction as 'Just Ask', then we are currently in the midst of a chaotic transition from GUI to LUI.
If we define the ultimate form of software interaction as "Just Ask" (where users simply state their needs and AI directly invokes system capabilities to complete them), then we are currently in the midst of a chaotic transition, migrating dramatically from Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) to Language User Interfaces (LUI).
During this phase, apps won't vanish instantly, but they are undergoing deformation, invisibility, and reorganization.
Here are the 4 transition forms most likely to emerge in the next 3-5 years:
The Hybrid Interface
This is the first stage. Apps still exist, but the "search box" has evolved into a "command bar."
Copilot Mode: Complex menus are collapsed, and users invoke functions through dialogue (e.g., Notion AI, Office 365).
Interaction Logic: This doesn't replace the GUI; it lowers the learning curve for complex software. Users issue commands in natural language and verify results via the GUI.
The Super Portal and Headless Apps
This is the biggest shift in traffic. The "front-end" of apps is stripped away, degenerating into backend Skills or APIs.
De-Appification: Users no longer jump between 10 different apps but use a single aggregator to complete tasks—like hailing rides, ordering food, or booking tickets—by calling different Agents.
Shifting Competition: Developers no longer compete on UI design but on API response speed and data quality. Apps become "invisible."
Generative UI
This is the cutting edge. AI no longer just outputs text; it draws an interface for you in real-time.
Fluid Interface: You want to buy shoes, and the AI instantly generates a temporary page containing price comparison tables, trend charts, and buy buttons.
Use and Discard: Once the need is met, the UI is destroyed. The interface is no longer hard-coded by developers but is fluid, driven by intent.
OS-Level Intent Routing
This is the endgame for Apple Intelligence and Android.
The Phone is the App: The operating system penetrates the app shell to read internal data directly.
Scenario: "Add the party time from this email to the calendar and send it to my family." The OS automatically orchestrates three apps to complete the task, completely seamless to the user.
The Developer's Crossroads
Faced with this reshuffle, today's app developers have only two paths:
Path A: Do it Deep (Be the Data)
Become a vertical model or an irreplaceable data source in a specific field. Own the most accurate medical data or real-time traffic info so the Super Portal is forced to call you. Your moat is data, not UI.
Path B: Do the Shell (Be the Aggregator)
Before the OS takes over everything, users still need a minimalist, efficient "middle layer" that unifies all model capabilities. Build the ultimate aggregator, wrapping the strongest models in the best experience.
The core conflict of this transition is the friction between old clicking habits and new conversational capabilities. Whoever solves this friction most elegantly will be the winner of the next cycle.