Single App Flow: How A.I. Will Revolutionize the Creation of Software
The holy grail of manufacturing is the ability to effortlessly create unique parts on demand
From Industry to Productivity
Even though software is much more flexible than physical manufacturing, there are parallels which can help us understand the impacts of AI on software products.
Itâs relatively easy to see why economies of scale are beneficial; we can produce a large number of items for less than it would cost to produce a one-off item. Mass production allows us to realize efficiencies that are only possible through repetition. The ability to procure raw materials in bulk means we can save money on inputs. There is however, significant upfront cost.
First, one needs to come up with and an idea. While ideation may be less expensive than doing, honing in on an idea takes time and money. Once a goal is identified, the production machines themselves need to be manufactured. Teams of people must be trained on how those devices work. Materials need to be sourced and transported to the factory, and it is only after all that happens that the assembly line can crank out items.
Using a real example, it takes multiple years to create an assembly line for creating automobiles, but once in place, an entire vehicle can be manufactured in less than 24 hours.
This wonât become a lesson on the industrial revolution, but a reminder that the assembly line is a modern marvel made possible by technological advancements. Still, they are only able to do one thing very well. If a manufacturer wants to create different types of products, they will need new assembly lines.
What does this have to do with software?
A product is valuable because it is provides a benefit that is beyond what someone could easily create on their own. As a result, companies tend to create fairly complex and involved products which may take months to years to create. This is true for both physical products as well as software.
Enter the Paradigm Shift
AI will be widely disruptive because it practically eliminates barriers to entry, even for big ideas. It is becoming possible for someone without a depth of knowledge, experience, or related resources to create highly effective solutions.
There has perhaps never been a better time in history to want to create something. The more high level technical and product knowledge you have, the more empowered you will be.
Forget shark tank. Forget pitching to VCâs. Just create the thing.
Itâs a golden age for builders.
Devs who leverage AI can now build things that were unfathomable 2yrs ago. What used to take a team of 8 experts, $10M+, and a bunch of time can be built by a solo dev in a few hours.
The age of exponential progress has begun.
- Mckay Wrigley
As an example of one of these âafternoon projectsâ that Mckay came up with. In his own words, he âGave GPT-4 eyesâ:
He added some data to a vision model
Gave the AI camera access
Asked it questions about the scene
It identified objects
It searched web for info
It used that info to accurately answer questions about what he was holding
There will be tinkerers who cobble together solutions which leverage AI beyond imagination, and there will be products which will enable the masses to access the potential of AI.1 What happens when the cost of creating highly personalized one-off solutions isnât any more expensive than a highly tailored solution, or mass production at scale?
Iâm not suggesting that mass production will go away, but we will certainly see more personalized offerings as it becomes easier to create⊠anything.
A Flood is Coming
Finding the signal within the noise is going to become increasingly difficult. Even then, how does one avoid dumping a ton of time and money into an idea that could be replaced in a weekend?
It will be interesting to see what new approaches we come up with for identifying opportunities and funding efforts.
The Takeaway
AI is ushering in a new era of innovation and opportunity, empowering individuals and developers to create products and solutions once thought unimaginable.
It is difficult to predict how this will impact job markets, or the need for traditional expertise in various industries, but there is no question that tectonic shifts will occur.
As we embrace this golden age of creativity, we must also adapt to the challenges it presents, especially in identifying and supporting the most promising ideas in an increasingly complex landscape.
This is but one example that a friend mentioned to me today. I donât endorse this product and there are MANY more interesting products out there. Note that anyone can DIY a similar solution using https://autokeras.com/, an open source offering.