AI will democratize software development to the point where building your own custom apps becomes commonplace. Instead of settling for one-size-fits-all solutions, people will create "personal software" perfectly tailored to their specific workflows, like a custom workout tracker.

Contrary to the belief that AI will kill most apps, lower development costs will make it profitable to build and maintain software for smaller, niche audiences. This affordability will likely lead to an explosion of specialized apps rather than market consolidation.

The barrier to creating software is collapsing. Non-coders can now build sophisticated, personalized applications for specific workflows in under an hour. This points to a future where individuals and teams create their own disposable, custom tools, replacing subscriptions to numerous niche SaaS products.

Individuals will use AI to build bespoke software for personal use. A subset of these tools will find a niche market, creating entrepreneurs who operate outside the VC-funded, subscription-SaaS model, potentially favoring one-time purchase models due to low development costs.

Designers who previously relied on engineers can now use AI to build complete applications, moving at the "speed of thought." This empowers creatives who understand user experience to execute their visions end-to-end, making design and UX the new competitive moats over technical implementation.

AI is drastically reducing software development costs. This makes it economically viable for small teams to build highly-focused applications for niche markets, such as specific skilled trades, that were previously too small to attract venture capital-backed software companies.

Designers have historically been limited by their reliance on engineers. AI-powered coding tools eliminate this bottleneck, enabling designers with strong taste to "vibe code" and build functional applications themselves. This creates a new, highly effective archetype of a design-led builder.

AI will decentralize entrepreneurship by enabling solo founders to build software for niche markets. These small markets, often dismissed by VCs, can support highly profitable lifestyle businesses for individuals, creating a new wave of company creation outside the traditional Silicon Valley model.

AI coding tools dramatically lower the barrier to software creation, enabling a new wave of 'indie' developers. This will lead to an explosion of hyper-personal, niche apps designed to solve specific problems for small user groups, shifting the focus away from universal, VC-scale software.