Are AI agents the new apps?

Are AI agents really the future of software — or just the latest wave of hype? In this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier sits down with Don Murray, CEO of Safe Software, to break down what’s actually happening with “agentic AI.” From AI-washing and “agent-washing” to real-world use cases in coding, automation, and enterprise software, this conversation cuts through the noise. They explore how AI agents differ from traditional apps, why intent-based software is emerging, and how developers are already shipping faster with AI writing code. But it’s not all upside — there are real risks, from security vulnerabilities to the possibility of AI-driven mistakes at massive scale. You’ll also hear: • Why “agentic AI” might just be a rebrand of automation • How AI is changing software development (and junior dev roles) • The surprising productivity boost for senior engineers • Why AI could make companies faster — and more fragile • The rise of “good enough” content and the risk of mediocrity • How enterprises are (and aren’t) keeping up Plus: what happens when AI starts building itself — and whether we’re heading toward a breaking point. ⸻ This episode is sponsored by Apprentice: did you think AI was only for digital work? Nope ... AI-native manufacturing is here. This month's sponsor is Apprentice, which offers the first AI Agent built from the ground up for agentic manufacturing. Connects to all your systems, monitors everything, automates all your processes ... but keeps a human in the loop. Check it out at apprentice.io. ⸻ 👤 Guest Don Murray CEO & Founder, Safe Software 🌐 https://www.safe.com 00:00 AI washing and the agent hype 00:02 What actually counts as an agent? 00:03 Sponsor: Apprentice and agentic manufacturing 00:03 New software architecture: intent-driven systems 00:05 Are big legacy companies like Apple at risk? 00:07 Day one vs. day two companies 00:08 How AI changes software development 00:09 Why junior devs struggle with AI-generated code 00:10 Consumer benefits of agentic software 00:11 Does AI save time or just make us busier? 00:12 The downside: creativity, security, and mediocrity 00:14 Why AI makes it easier to be average 00:15 AI as an assistant and the blank-page problem 00:16 AI removes excuses for building new products 00:17 Can companies be rebuilt faster than bought? 00:18 AI writing AI code 00:19 Why developers are moving to Claude and Gemini 00:20 Shipping faster vs. overwhelming customers 00:21 Why every app may need an agent 00:22 Talking to databases instead of learning SQL 00:23 The risk of AI breaking companies fast 00:24 Is there an AI bubble? 00:25 Data centers, power, and water constraints 00:26 AI’s upside in healthcare 00:27 Using AI for legal documents and expert knowledge 00:28 Final thoughts on agentic AI and AI-ready data