AI Over-reliance Signals End of Single-Purpose Apps

An anecdotal report of AI over-reliance highlights a strategic inflection point in consumer technology adoption, particularly among neurodivergent users seeking productivity aids. The subject's use of ChatGPT for all tasks, from business admin to checking train schedules, exemplifies a shift from specialized applications to a single, conversational AI interface. This trend signals the emergence of a new user behavior pattern where generative AI is not just a tool, but the primary gateway to digital services, raising critical questions about cognitive independence.

This dynamic puts intense pressure on the established ecosystem of single-purpose applications, such as travel and scheduling platforms, which risk disintermediation. For AI developers like OpenAI, this level of user integration creates significant platform lock-in and a powerful data moat. The stakes are a fundamental restructuring of the consumer app economy, where value shifts from specialized service providers to the centralized AI platforms that serve as the user's universal remote for their digital and professional lives.