This past week, I came across this post from Jason Fried (founder of 37signals and Basecamp): https://x.com/jasonfried/status/1665885183839727616

This was in the early stages of ChatGPT, and Apple just launched its headset, Vision Pro.

It was a bet on different visions.

2 years later, it’s clear that the chat interface is the undisputed winner. AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and many others have taken the world by storm, and all that with a simple chat interface.

The premise is simple - Ask what you want, and AI gives you what you need. Beyond flashy demos and marketing hype, chat interfaces strip away the noise and let you focus on solving problems. There’s no steep learning curve - just ask and receive clear, contextual answers.

The software interface revolution

The simplicity of this interface gave it the edge over all other visions. It simplifies technology in the way that it was always meant to be. And while we are still in the early stages of AI, I believe that the “chat” interface will define software for years to come. It gets out of your way, simplifies, actually helps, and is way faster.

Now you don’t need complicated dashboards or queries anymore, simply ask AI to retrieve the data you need and BOOM - you’re presented with a graph or CSV file (with sources if you need to drill down).

Chat-driven assistants integrated into IDEs, design tools, and collaboration platforms are becoming more popular by the day. Whether you need to generate code snippets, brainstorm marketing copy, or summarize lengthy reports, chat UIs can streamline many tasks across any domain.

Why chat will win (my opinion)

Simplistic and easy to use

Chatting is the most natural software interaction. Dating back to instant messaging in the early internet days, it’s familiar to all computer users. Compared to strapping on a headset and learning new gestures, typing a question is effortless and requires no special training. Users can dive in with zero setup. In this way, chat interfaces democratize access to powerful AI models.

It’s cheap and accessible

The Vision Pro’s starting price is a staggering $3499. Compare that to the $20 - $30 per month that you pay for an incredible AI tool like ChatGPT or Claude - a no-brainer. Especially considering that with the Vision Pro you have to mount a headset on your face and unlearn everything that you know about interacting with a PC. And besides the low monthly fees, chat tools run in the cloud, eliminating hardware constraints and enabling instant syncing across devices.

It requires fewer (almost no) behavior changes

Chatting on a PC fits perfectly into the current work and professional environment. It’s hard to imagine an office where no desks or screens exist and people just wave their hands with awkwardly looking headsets on their heads. The smooth transition of “chatting” into existing workflows accelerates adoption and makes it easier to drive real-world impact.

Personalized and context-aware

Unlike one-size-fits-all software interfaces (as with Vision Pro), chat adapts its interactions and maintains context across sessions. Your assistant learns as you interact, and improves the more you use it over time. Imagine having an assistant that gets better and smarter everyday - that is possible with a $20 monthly subscription.

Conclusion

Chat interfaces are more than a passing trend - they are redefining how we interact with software. By combining simplicity, affordability, and minimal behavior change, chat will only become more popular as a user interface. Whether you’re querying data, writing code, or seeking creative inspiration, chat makes everything more intuitive. The future of software is conversational. As chat interfaces continue to mature, we’ll undoubtedly see richer integrations with voice, vision, and real-time collaboration. Yet the simple power of natural language will remain the central interface.