The End of Apps. What AI Agents Mean for Businesses.

OpenAI’s latest announcement marks a significant change in how people interact with technology. Apps are no longer the destinations we open; they are the platforms we use. They are becoming invisible layers inside our conversations.

For more than a decade, businesses designed experiences around apps and websites. We clicked, logged in, and navigated screens to complete tasks. Now, all agents will begin doing those tasks on our behalf.

The launch of the OpenAI Apps SDK, built on the new Model Context Protocol (MCP), enables developers to create “chat-native” apps directly within ChatGPT. Spotify, Canva, Zillow, Expedia, and Coursera are among the first to roll out early versions. These are not plug-ins. They are intelligent systems that respond to natural dialogue. Say, “Spotify, create a playlist for my morning run” or “Zillow, find homes near Boston under six hundred thousand.” The response is immediate: there is no switching between tabs, no app openings, and no menus to manage.

 

A Redefinition of the User Journey

For two decades, digital marketing focused on user action, clicks, opens, installs, and conversions. The new model reverses that flow. All agents will act on behalf of the user.

Instead of visiting a site or app, a person will express intent:

“Find a skincare brand that uses clean ingredients,” or “Book the best business hotel under three hundred a night.” Al will handle the rest.

Each interaction becomes a curated moment of discovery. Brands that want to remain visible must ensure their information, products, and credibility are readable and trustworthy within AI ecosystems. The focus shifts from user acquisition to agent inclusion, helping your business show up in the moments when AI systems guide customer decisions.

 

Why It Matters for Businesses

 

Visibility depends on data quality.

Apps and websites still matter; however, structured data will determine if AI agents can understand and recommend a brand.

 

Trust becomes the new currency.

Verified, transparent, and reliable information will win priority in agentic ecosystems.

 

Customer journeys shorten dramatically.

AI streamlines the customer journey process by handling search, comparison, and action in one step. It reduces the distance between discovery and decision.

 

Advertising evolves into agent placement.

Instead of bidding for clicks, businesses will compete for conversational relevance, being the answer AI chooses to deliver.

 

Content must adapt to dialogue.

Clear, conventional communication outperforms static pages and keyword-heavy copy.

 

The Bigger Picture

Software that once moved onto our phones is now moving into our conversations.

AI assistants are transforming into complete ecosystems capable of learning, recommending, and transacting.

Apple’s Business Connect, Google’s AI Overview, and OpenAI’s Model Context Protocol all point to the same shift. Brands of every size will need to think about how they appear within AI-driven experiences, not just search results.

Therefore, businesses that prepare now by refining their data, voice, and brand trust will become visible inside these new systems.

 

Preparing for What Comes Next – read more on LinkedIn.

 

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