Consumer AI expands app creation while raising the bar for venture-scale outcomes

Consumer AI has so far produced mainly chat applications and short AI-generated drama stories, rather than the broad explosion of application types some had expected. General-purpose models such as ChatGPT can handle many narrowly focused use cases, reducing the need for separate apps.

RevenueCat is cited as powering subscriptions for 60% of newly launched apps, offering a proxy for an immense increase in app creation. Lower barriers bring more niches into the market, but also intensify competition and make venture-scale outcomes more difficult.

More differentiated products may have better prospects: Popcorn is described as a next-generation telecommunications company with its own core infrastructure, an eSIM, international numbers and integrated AI call-assistant features. A new wave of consumer and prosumer personal agents is expected, but it remains unclear how much functionality will be absorbed by model labs or companies such as Meta, making the crowded category difficult for early-stage investors.