Nothing has taken a step toward reshaping how users interact with software by unveiling Essential, its new artificial intelligence platform. The company says Essential is the first step in building a personal operating system that relies on AI to make app creation simple and community-driven.
The platform introduces two major features. Essential Apps allows users to design mini applications by describing what they want in natural language. These apps can then be added directly to a device’s home screen. Alongside it, Playground serves as a space where people can share, explore, and remix apps built by others, offering an alternative to conventional app stores.
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The move comes after Nothing secured $200 million in Series C funding to support its transition toward an AI-native platform that merges hardware and software.
Path Toward Essential OS
Nothing plans to expand Essential into Essential OS, which it describes as a fully AI-based operating system. The aim is to move away from traditional mobile systems that focus on engagement metrics and instead provide tools that enhance creativity and personal utility. With Essential Apps, the process of building software becomes accessible to all users, not just developers.
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Community at the Core
The playground is designed to encourage collaborative development. Instead of relying on large-scale software markets, users can create applications tailored to personal needs and share them with the wider community. Early versions of Essential have already produced hundreds of apps, including tools for mental health tracking and family scheduling.
New Features
The platform also introduces Essential Space, a feature available on Nothing and CMF devices for storing and organising ideas. Essential Search offers quick access to information, while the upcoming Essential Memory will use on-device learning to recall and surface useful details when needed. Nothing emphasises that these tools are private by default, with data staying on the device unless the user opts for cloud storage.
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Independent Ecosystem
Nothing highlights its independence in building Essential, noting that it has shipped millions of devices and surpassed $1 billion in sales. According to the company, this position enables it to avoid entrenched models that prioritise control over innovation.
CEO Carl Pei described the initiative as a shift from legacy systems to a future of “unrestricted access, collective innovation, and hyper-personalisation.” He said Essential aims to give users more control over their digital lives while reducing unnecessary distractions.
The Playground hub is now live at playground.nothing.tech, allowing users to start experimenting with AI-powered mini apps.
