AI agents are the ultimate aggregators; they reveal apps as a means, not an end, and offering them is tech's ultimate prize, with Meta and Microsoft well-poised (Ben Thompson/Stratechery)

Ben Thompson of Stratechery argues that AI agents are the ultimate aggregators, fundamentally changing the perception of apps from an end to merely a means. He suggests that offering these AI agents represents the biggest prize in the tech industry, with companies like Meta and Microsoft being particularly well-positioned to capitalize on this shift. This transformation is likened to revolutionary products such as the wide-screen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a breakthrough Internet communications device.

This analysis uniquely frames AI agents as the "ultimate aggregators," unlike previous discussions that focused on apps as the primary interface.