Ex-Android Executives Develop AI Agent-Driven Operating System
A team of former Android executives, including Hugo Barra, has embarked on a venture to create an AI agent-oriented operating system through their new company, /dev/agents. This initiative aims to simplify the development of intelligent autonomous digital assistants, drawing inspiration from their Android experiences, and invites comparisons to an ‘Android-like moment’ for AI technologies.
Here’s something fresh: a bunch of ex-Android bigwigs are throwing their hats into the AI ring, aiming to build an operating system that’s all about AI agents. Leading the charge? Hugo Barra, the guy who used to call the shots on Google’s Android product management. Their startup, cheekily named ‘/dev/agents’, is banking hard on their ‘Android roots’ to shake things up.
AI agents are the talk of the town, with everyone from Microsoft to OpenAI betting they’re the next big thing—think digital assistants that actually get stuff done without you holding their hand. And yeah, the big names are lining up their own versions to drop soon.
David Singleton, the brains behind /dev/agents and its CEO, had a chat with Bloomberg. He’s all in on AI agents’ potential but admits it’s not all sunshine and rainbows: “We can see the promise of AI agents, but as a developer, it’s just too hard to build anything good.” Singleton, who once ran the show as VP of Engineering for Android at Google, is dreaming of an ‘Android-like moment for AI’.
What’s their game plan? A slick, cloud-based OS for AI agents that makes ‘trusted agents’ play nice across your gadgets. Singleton dropped some wisdom on X, saying AI agents need fresh UI ideas, a privacy makeover, and a developer platform that doesn’t make you want to pull your hair out.
Rounding out the dream team is Hugo Barra, the CPO who helped Android grow up, then did stints at Xiaomi and Facebook’s Oculus VR. They’ve also got Ficus Kirkpatrick, an Android OG and Meta’s former AR/VR VP, as CTO, and Nicholas Jitkoff, the design whiz behind ChromeOS, as Chief Design Officer. Talk about a lineup.