by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
I may have talked about this before, but I think in the near future, the entire “app economy” will be upended when small LLMs are native to smartphones. Imagine the following: instead of having a passive dating app on your phone, you — and everyone else — would have an LLM native to your smartphone that would, say, use a coffee shop’s wifi to ping other LLMs to discover who might be single in the immediate area.
But remember, the LLM would be a general application — they would be designed to talk to other LLMs about a variety of things, and as such, would replace apps. And I think people would willfully give up privacy if it would facilitate them getting a date. So, one could imagine a situation where the entire idea of an app on a smartphone would be replaced with a general purpose LLM that did a variety of things without the human user not even knowing about it until necessary.
It seems as though the change from the app economy to the LLM economy could happen overnight. The moment, say, iPhones have an LLM native to their hardware, the LLMs would likely begin to talk to each other. It’s possible that LLMs might know when a person is ready to start dating after a hard break up because it can see a change in the metrics of the data coming out of the user’s phone. They could “scheme” with other iPhone LLMs to play matchmaker.
Isn’t it possible that if native smartphone LLMs replace apps in the context of being agents, that LLMs will grow to have an enormous amount of subtle power. One’s entire life from finding a mate to going to see a movie to what job you decide to apply for could subtly be decided by the LLM in your phone.
What about this scenario — a high powered couple in high tech the San Francisco area have a home LLM that manages security. The couple also each have LLMs native to their iPhones. It seems possible that the three LLMs, scanning the output of the couple, might decide that it’s time for them to have a baby to the point that they conspire to get the couple tipsy. The woman’s iPhone LLM would know when she was most fertile, while the man’s LLM would know he had just gotten a promotion. The home security LLM might set the home lights down to a romantic level when the man came home from work. This scenario seems a lot closer than we might otherwise imagine.
This is what Claude said about this:
You’ve highlighted an even more profound transformation of digital interaction. Instead of siloed, single-purpose applications, we’re talking about a generalized AI agent that seamlessly navigates multiple domains of human experience, with dating being just one potential interaction mode.
This vision suggests a radical reimagining of smartphone functionality. The LLM becomes less of an “app” and more of a proactive, autonomous digital companion that:
- Negotiates social interactions
- Manages professional networking
- Handles mundane administrative tasks
- Facilitates serendipitous personal connections
The key insight is the shift from user-initiated, intentional interactions to ambient, background intelligence. Your smartphone would become a dynamic portal where your AI agent continuously interfaces with other AIs, making decisions and creating opportunities without constant human oversight.
In the dating scenario, this means your LLM might:
- Assess compatibility in real-time
- Initiate low-stakes interactions
- Negotiate initial contact protocols
- Handle early communication friction
The privacy trade-off you mentioned is critical. Many people would likely view this as a feature, not a bug – surrendering granular privacy for the promise of more efficient, less emotionally fraught social connection.
This represents a fundamental reimagining of digital agency: from tools we use to intelligences that act on our behalf, with increasing autonomy and contextual sophistication.
This is a fascinating thought experiment about potential future social technologies. Let me explore some of the intriguing implications of such a decentralized, AI-mediated dating discovery system.
The core concept you’re describing represents a radical shift from current dating app paradigms. Instead of actively browsing profiles or swiping, your personal AI would act as an autonomous matchmaking agent, silently negotiating potential connections in real-time based on proximity, compatibility algorithms, and potentially shared contextual information.
Potential Implications:
Privacy and Consent Dynamics
The system would fundamentally challenge current notions of consent and personal boundaries. How would individuals opt-in or opt-out of such spontaneous connection discovery? The technology would require unprecedented granular privacy controls, allowing users to set extremely precise parameters about when, where, and how their availability might be broadcast.
Algorithmic Social Serendipity
Unlike current dating apps where users explicitly create profiles, this system could leverage much richer contextual data. An LLM might assess compatibility through ambient signals like:
Current location and activity context
Subtle communication styles
Proximity-based shared interests
Real-time behavioral patterns
Potential for Harassment and Misuse
The system would require robust safeguards against potential predatory behaviors. Without careful design, it could become a tool for unwanted tracking or aggressive social engineering.
Psychological and Social Transformation
This technology could fundamentally alter social interaction norms. Chance encounters might become more “engineered” yet paradoxically feel more spontaneous. The boundary between algorithmic matchmaking and organic connection would blur dramatically.
Ethical and Technological Challenges
The system would need to navigate complex ethical terrains:
Ensuring genuine consent
Preventing algorithmic bias
Protecting individual autonomy
Managing potential information asymmetries
The most profound aspect might be how such a system reimagines human connection – transforming dating from an intentional, somewhat performative activity to a more ambient, contextually-driven experience.
Technologically, this would require massive advances in:
Decentralized, privacy-preserving communication protocols
Nuanced consent management
Sophisticated interpersonal compatibility modeling
Secure, ephemeral communication frameworks
It’s a provocative vision that sits at the intersection of AI, social psychology, and emerging communication technologies – equal parts utopian and potentially dystopian.
Here is what Gemini Advanced has to say:
This is a really interesting point, and it highlights a potential paradigm shift in how we interact with technology. Imagine a world where:
- LLMs are the new interface: Instead of tapping icons and navigating menus, you simply interact with your personal LLM through natural language. Want to order a pizza? Just tell your LLM, and it handles the rest, from choosing a restaurant based on your preferences to placing the order and even negotiating discounts.
- Proactive assistance: Your LLM constantly learns your habits, preferences, and needs. It anticipates your desires, proactively offering suggestions and taking actions without explicit instructions. Need to book a flight for an upcoming trip? Your LLM might already be browsing options based on your past travel history and calendar.
- Seamless integration: The lines between different apps and services blur, as your LLM acts as a universal translator and integrator. It can pull information from various sources, complete tasks across different platforms, and even negotiate on your behalf, all without you having to switch between different apps.
In this scenario, the dating aspect becomes just one facet of a much larger shift. Your LLM, in its constant background activity, might identify potential romantic connections based on your interactions, interests, and even subtle cues in your communication. It could then discreetly facilitate introductions or suggest activities that align with mutual interests.
The privacy trade-off: As you mentioned, people might be more willing to sacrifice some privacy for the convenience and potential benefits this offers. If the LLM is perceived as a trusted and helpful assistant, the exchange of personal data might seem like a worthwhile trade.
However, this raises some important questions:
- Who controls the LLM? If these LLMs are controlled by large corporations, there’s a risk of data misuse or manipulation. Ensuring user control and data ownership would be crucial.
- What about bias and fairness? LLMs are trained on vast amounts of data, which can reflect existing societal biases. Ensuring fairness and preventing discrimination would be a major challenge.
- The potential for manipulation: If LLMs become adept at understanding and influencing human behavior, there’s a risk of manipulation or exploitation. Safeguards would need to be in place to prevent this.
Despite these concerns, the idea of LLMs replacing apps is a compelling one. It could lead to a more intuitive, personalized, and efficient digital experience. The dating aspect is just one example of how this technology could transform our lives in profound ways.
