We are most assuredly smack-dab in the “I Need” economy.
I need ____ [fill in the blank]. What app hasn’t been built to try and fill some niche need, some human (or other) might want or desire?
- I need a trip to the airport next week.
- I need a place to stay in Cabo in August.
- I need a pizza.
- I need my groceries picked up at the store.
- I need a flight to Chicago, next Wednesday.
- I need a new prescription filled.
- I need a prom dress.
- I need a child sitter tonight.
- I need my lawn mowed.
- I need, I need, I need.
The list goes on forever.
Now, many of these needs can be filled almost instantly. Amazon is the ultimate “I need” fulfillment provider. I need a ride, Uber of course. I need a place to stay, AirBnb. I need a flight — oh priceline, or expedia or kayak. And then the other needs have fulfillment channels but those require more work. Craigslist can fulfill some needs for selling your stuff, or buying local goods and services like firewood or carpentry. The same for Angie’s list, and the other “lists” out there.
But what’s wrong with this whole picture is that there are dozens of these channels that a person must navigate in order to have a need fulfilled.
Why not just have one?
This one will interpret your need, maybe query deeper to narrow down your choices and then either begin the fulfillment chain or connect to the service of choice to have that need realized.
Where is this singular, unified needs provider? Is it in the soul of the new DeepMind AIs being built? Is IBM’s Watson going to become my personal valet for every want I could ever voice? What?
Someone will build this. You know they will.
Or is this an opportunity to be the first?
Anonymole - apocryphal agitators 