So where are all the AI apps?
answer.ai
March 24, 2026
8 min read
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66/100
Summary
AI enthusiasts claim that productivity can increase by 2x to 100x through vibecoding and agentic tools. Critics question the lack of new AI applications despite these claims of enhanced productivity.
Key Takeaways
- The release of ChatGPT did not result in a significant increase in the overall production of software on PyPI, with new package creation primarily reflecting spam and malware rather than genuine software development.
- The median release frequency of the 15,000 most downloaded Python packages increased for those released after ChatGPT, but this trend began before the introduction of modern AI coding tools, suggesting other factors may be at play.
- AI-related packages showed a dramatic increase in release frequency compared to non-AI packages, indicating a distinct "AI effect" in the development of software specifically focused on artificial intelligence.
- Despite initial increases in release frequency for new packages, older packages continue to be updated less frequently over time, indicating that AI tools have not significantly changed long-term maintenance behaviors.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- AI significantly simplifies the initial stages of app development, allowing more individuals to prototype their ideas quickly, which could lead to increased innovation.
- The rise in new iOS app submissions suggests that AI is driving growth in app development, indicating a potential surge in applications leveraging AI capabilities.
Concerns
- The transition from prototype to production-ready applications remains challenging, as it requires traditional software engineering skills that many aspiring developers lack.
- While AI aids in the early stages of app creation, it complicates the final steps, leading many to abandon their projects due to the complexities of a large codebase.
