The Utility App Flood Won't Last
The App Store is seeing a surge in utility apps created with AI agents, leading to a glut of simple, narrow-scope tools. The author suggests this trend may be a temporary spike rather than a sustainable shift in software development.
Why it matters
This analysis reflects the broader impact of generative AI on software development and the potential for market saturation in the digital economy.
The App Store is evolving at a breakneck pace not seen since its earliest days. We saw the first glimmers of what was to come early in 2025, but it wasn’t until late last year that the tsunami of apps developed with the help of AI agents really took hold.
Since then, veteran developers are releasing new apps and updating existing ones faster than ever, and new developers are releasing their first apps in droves . Today, supply is dramatically up, demand is flat , and quality is seemingly simultaneously up and down, depending on where you look.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in