Analysis: Could we be moving from a world where we mainly consume apps to one where more of us create them?
Artificial intelligence is changing how apps and websites are developed, challenging established software companies and giving ordinary people new opportunities to create digital solutions. Think about how many apps and websites you use every day. You might check your bank balance, book a holiday, edit a photograph or organise family activities. For almost everything, there seems to be an app available.
Traditionally, technology companies develop these applications, and we download, purchase or subscribe to them. But what if that relationship started to change?
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Radio 1’s Today with David McCullagh, how food waste apps could save you money on your grocery bill
AI is enabling people with little programming experience to create apps and websites simply by describing what they want. Meanwhile, new competitors and open-source communities are challenging traditional software business models. Could we be moving from a world where we mainly consume apps to one where more of us create them?
Is the traditional software industry changing?
Not so long ago, buying software often meant paying once and using it for years. Today, many applications operate through subscriptions. Subscriptions offer regular updates, security improvements and support. However, consumers may pay continuously for applications they rarely use. In 2024, the US Federal Trade Commission brought legal proceedings against Adobe, alleging that the company inadequately disclosed cancellation fees and made subscriptions difficult to cancel.
Meanwhile, AI is changing how software is developed. Research published by GitHub found that developers using its Copilot AI assistant completed a particular programming task approximately 55% faster than those working without it. Although limited to a specific experiment, this illustrates how AI could reduce development costs and help smaller competitors enter the market.
From Google, what is vibe coding?
Consider Adobe Photoshop, one of the world’s best known creative applications. Emerging projects such as ArtCraft illustrate growing interest in alternative approaches to creative software, including AI assisted and community led development. This does not mean ArtCraft will replace Photoshop. Established applications offer sophisticated features and professional support, but what happens when developing competing software becomes easier and cheaper?
Open-source software offers another alternative. Its underlying code can be inspected, modified and redistributed under specified licences. Projects such as Firefox and Linux demonstrate how collaborative development can produce sophisticated technologies. The European Commission recognises the importance of open source for technological independence and competition. AI could make contributing to these projects easier, expanding consumer choice.
What if you could create your own apps?
Perhaps the most interesting development is what AI could mean for non traditional software developers. Imagine wanting an application to organise household expenses, manage a sports club or coordinate a community event.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland, ‘vibe coding’ named Collins’ Word of the Year 2025
Traditionally, you would search an app store and choose whichever product came closest to your needs. Now, you could ask AI to create something specifically for you. This emerging approach is sometimes called vibe coding. Rather than writing computer code yourself, you describe what you want in everyday language, and AI generates the code. For example, you might ask “create a website where our local walking group can list upcoming walks, record attendance and share photographs.” An AI development tool could generate a website with pages, buttons and forms. You could then request a calendar, change its appearance or improve its mobile accessibility.
The process becomes a conversation: describe, review, test and refine. Tools such as Replit and Lovable are making this increasingly accessible. The 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey found that 84% of respondents were using or planning to use AI tools in their development processes. While this does not make everyone a professional programmer, it could enable individuals, community organisations and small businesses to create useful digital tools without extensive technical expertise.
Can we trust AI created applications?
Creating an application is not the same as creating a reliable one. AI generated software can look impressive while containing errors that inexperienced users struggle to identify. A budgeting application might calculate totals incorrectly. A booking system could accept conflicting reservations. A website might expose personal information. These concerns become particularly important when applications handle financial or medical information.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Radio 1’s Brendan O’Connor Show, Irish Times’ tech journalist Ciara O’Brien on using money apps to help split the bill when you are out socialising
The Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) highlights security risks associated with generative AI applications, including vulnerabilities and inappropriate reliance on AI generated outputs. Maintenance presents another challenge. Applications need updates as browsers, operating systems and security requirements change. Something created in an afternoon may not work reliably next year. AI offers powerful assistance, but testing, human judgement and technical oversight remain essential.
Will commercial apps disappear?
Probably not. Commercial applications provide technical support, security updates, reliable infrastructure and integration with other services. Consider online banking. AI might help someone build an attractive financial dashboard, but reproducing the security, regulatory compliance and reliability of a banking application is another matter. The same applies to healthcare, educational and business systems.
A more likely future is one where commercial applications, open-source alternatives and individually created tools coexist. Someone might continue using commercial accounting software while creating an AI assisted application for organising business activities. A community group could retain existing communication platforms while developing its own event planner.
The phrase ‘there’s an app for that’ reflects an era when tech companies created products for almost every imaginable activity.
Established software companies are also incorporating AI, allowing customers to customise features and automate tasks. Rather than eliminating commercial software, AI may change what companies offer and what consumers expect.
Could the future of apps belong to everyone?
The familiar phrase “there’s an app for that” reflects an era when technology companies created products for almost every imaginable activity. AI introduces another possibility: perhaps there does not need to be an existing app for every problem and we might simply create one.
The real change may not be that commercial software disappears or everyone becomes a programmer. Instead, we could gain greater freedom to decide when to purchase an application, use an open-source alternative or create something ourselves.
For years, we have asked whether there’s an app for that. Increasingly, we might ask something different: “could I make one?”
Follow RTÉ Brainstorm on WhatsApp and Instagram for more stories and updates
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
