Artificial intelligence has disrupted nearly every facet of our digital lives, yet one area remains largely unchanged: user interfaces. Mouthwash and Modem, two forward-thinking design studios, aim to challenge this with General Purpose Interfaces (GPIs), a speculative project that envisions the future of interface design. This concept explores the potential for a unified, AI-powered interface capable of organizing all digital interactions on a single device.
The Problem with Current Apps
As Modem’s Fanneke Budding explains, apps were originally designed to simplify tasks and deliver results efficiently. However, in today’s app-saturated landscape, they’ve evolved into a cluttered “laundry list of checkboxes,” requiring users to navigate multiple platforms just to stay organized. General Purpose Interfaces seeks to move beyond this fragmented model by proposing a seamless, unified interface to manage all apps and notifications.
Rather than reimagining the apps themselves, GPIs focus on how users interact with them. This interface would serve as a central hub for all incoming notifications, messages, and tasks. For example, instead of managing updates from WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail, and other sources individually, the GPI would filter and prioritize notifications, reducing digital noise. The interface could also automate common tasks such as ordering an Uber, scheduling meetings, or suggesting mindfulness exercises when it detects stress indicators like elevated heart rates.
A Minimalist Design for Maximum Flexibility
The design of the GPI is intentionally minimalist, allowing it to adapt to different applications. Mouthwash and Modem envision a flexible interface that can “squish and flex” depending on the user’s needs. This simplicity isn’t just aesthetic—it’s functional, offering a more intuitive way to interact with technology.
Balancing Privacy and Functionality
One of the project’s core principles is user privacy. Mouthwash and Modem emphasize that GPIs should store all data locally on the user’s device, avoiding reliance on cloud storage. “Security and privacy should always be top of mind,” the studios state.
However, they also acknowledge the trade-offs between privacy and functionality. In some cases, users may need to share personal data to unlock the full potential of the interface. For those unwilling to do so, GPIs would still operate in a limited capacity, ensuring accessibility for all users.
An Ongoing Exploration
Currently, GPIs are a speculative design project, with Mouthwash and Modem welcoming feedback from the public and the design community. Early responses have been both enthusiastic and constructively critical, helping the studios refine their ideas.
This collaboration marks a new chapter for both teams, blending their expertise in design and technology. Modem previously developed Terra, an AI-powered gorpcore compass, while Mouthwash recently expanded its web-based design practice with a new research division. Together, they aim to push the boundaries of interface design, using General Purpose Interfaces as the foundation for future explorations.
Toward a More Integrated Digital Life
The ultimate goal of GPIs is to inspire interfaces that integrate more seamlessly into our lives, simplifying interactions while preserving user autonomy. As Mouthwash and Modem continue to refine this concept, they invite the broader design and tech communities to imagine what the future of user interfaces could look like.
For now, General Purpose Interfaces serves as a thought-provoking glimpse into the next phase of digital life—one where technology feels less like a fragmented collection of tools and more like an integrated extension of ourselves.
