2026 Consumer AI Trends: The Shift from Apps to Intelligent Concierges

The era of scrolling through endless app grids is ending. Vanessa Larco, partner at Premise, predicts that 2026 will be the definitive year for consumer AI. As users grow weary of manual navigation, the focus is shifting toward AI-powered "concierge-like" services that handle tasks autonomously.

Impact of 2026 Consumer AI Trends on Legacy Platforms

During an interview on TechCrunch's 'Equity' podcast, Larco highlighted a looming identity crisis for established brands. Legacy products like WebMD and TripAdvisor face a critical question: Can they remain standalone destinations, or will they be cannibalized by ChatGPT and Meta AI?

The convenience of having a single AI entry point—one that already knows your preferences and payment methods—creates a massive gravity well that threatens to suck in specialized services. This consolidation represents a fundamental change in how digital value is distributed.

Where Startups Can Still Win

Despite the dominance of giants, Larco remains bullish on the startup ecosystem. She argues that OpenAI won't "kill" everything. Startups that carve out high-intent niches—where deep domain expertise and trust are paramount—can build defensible moats. The key lies in creating AI experiences that feel personal and specialized, rather than generic.