Silicon Valley giants like Amazon, Meta and OpenAI are racing to develop “operating systems” for AI-enabled devices, and 2026 is likely the year these efforts will begin to bear fruit. Devices are largely built for a future in which AI agents can take actions on a user’s behalf without having to visit an app or website.
In theory, it sounds like an idyllic relationship between humans and technology. But it could change the business model of a huge number of consumer technology companies.
Instead of browsing through apps filled with ads and sales, AI devices promise that the user will be able to request and receive a result. The AI assistant will – theoretically – book your trip, order lunch or refill your paper towels. You should be able to find out which service has what you need and which can offer it quickly and cheaply.
Apart from the non-trivial problem that today’s AI agents may pose quite unbelievableAI-based operating systems also threaten to separate companies from their users. This can be a nightmare for app developers.
Companies like Uber and DoorDash have long relied on keeping consumers on their apps, where they can show ads, sell other services and build loyalty to keep users coming back.
AI agents can reduce many of these companies to their core services and reduce the need for users to visit the app altogether. So even if a user pays the same price for DoorDash delivery via AI Glasses, the company may still miss the opportunity to sell them additional services in the future.
Anjney Midha, an investor and board member at Sesame, an AI device startup co-founded by former Oculus leaders including Brendan Iribe, says that unless companies have “deep control over the supply of their products,” it will be very challenging for them to operate in a world where they must reach users through an AI agent.
Historically, a key part of building a successful operating system was creating a successful development platform. Companies need to give developers a good reason to build apps for their platforms. However, there were tensions in their relationship. While Apple has allowed developers to reach multiple users in the past, it has also introduced 30 percent discounts on all in-app purchases.
Some tech companies are reluctant to let AI agents from smaller startups come between them and their users.
Rabbit, the startup behind the buzzy R1 device that debuted at CES 2024 (and received negative reviews), has already hit this wall. CEO Jesse Lyu told WIRED that major app developers like Uber weren’t very willing to work with the company at first and refused to grant launch API access that would enable direct employ of R1. As a result, Rabbit has developed solutions to enable its R1 devices to employ applications such as Uber without formal access.
“You have to understand why they’re not super happy: they’re selling f**king advertising. A lot of them are making money out of it,” he said, speaking of the broader tech industry. “They decided we were too small and not worth working with.”
This problem also occurred with early versions of the sales agent. in November Amazon sued Perplexity through an agent it offered that could purchase items on behalf of users. Amazon, which invests in its own sales agents, has demanded Perplexity stop browsing its site, making it virtually impossible for the startup’s agent to buy products on Amazon.
However, other markets and app developers seem willing to work with larger platforms. Companies like DoorDash, Instacart, and Expedia have come on board to build early forms of AI applications within ChatGPT, while Ticketmaster, Uber, and OpenTable have debuted early agent features for Alexa+. The partnerships show that many technology companies are cautiously positive about the potential of creative applications powered by artificial intelligence tools.