The Disposable Future of Software, Just Like Contact Lenses!

Omid Razavi

June 2, 2025

TL;DR Software is racing down the same path contact lenses took: ditching bulk and rigidity for single‑use, made‑for‑me experiences. Your software experience should feel as effortless as popping a fresh lens, not like scrolling through endless screens.

A Quick Lens on the Past

Veteran contact-lens users recall thick glass scleral shells: heavy, airtight discs that required a nightly ritual of boiling, cleaning, and saline soaking. Today, most wearers pinch a sterile daily disposable from its foil, blink, and forget it’s there. Some even match their iris color to their mood.

Software is tracing the same arc. On‑prem monoliths gave way to cloud SaaS, which still delivers a vendor‑defined, one-size-fits-all experience. Now, AI is poised to take the next leap: dynamically assembling ephemeral task agents that craft personalized experiences tailored to a single user, task, and moment, then vanish when their job is done.

Let’s draw a parallel between eyewear and software: both have evolved to reduce friction and boost personalization. The colored disposable lens is the perfect metaphor for tomorrow’s AI-built agents—tailored, fleeting, and effortless.

The Journey of Software: From Heavy Burdens to Effortless Experiences

Think of modern software as a trilogy; each stage sheds layers of maintenance and rigidity, much like lenses have evolved from fragile glass to carefree, daily disposables.

Forces Powering the Rise of Disposable Software

As software shifts toward hyper-personalized, task-specific experiences, four forces are driving this transformation:

Contextual Intelligence – Advanced AI models combine real-time signals, like calendar events, location, and user behavior, to create seamless, timely, and relevant interactions.

Composable Back-Ends – Open APIs and modular architectures enable AI agents to assemble precisely what each user needs for a specific task, rather than relying on rigid, pre-built systems.

Economic Efficiency – Ephemeral AI agents eliminate ongoing maintenance, reduce training costs, and prevent shelfware.

Identity & Expression – These agents can be instantly customized and branded, adapting tone, style, and language to fit different contexts and users’ preferences.

Implications for Builders

To stay ahead, builders should embrace these principles:

Design for Ephemerality – Create experiences that last minutes, not months, with near-instant activation.

Ship a Palette, Not a Painting – Provide APIs and guardrails to enable AI to tailor experiences dynamically.

Govern at Generation Time – Apply security and compliance dynamically as each agent is created.

Measure ‘Fit,’ Not Usage – Focus on task success and contextual relevance, rather than relying on generic usage metrics.

Final Blink

Disposable colored lenses proved that people love technology that is invisible, effortless, and expressive. Software is about to cross the same threshold: AI agents will dynamically assemble and discard fully personalized, ephemeral experiences, erasing maintenance rituals and making every interaction feel as if it was tinted just for you.

If your roadmap still ships one‑size‑fits‑all SaaS, you’re offering glass discs in a world moving to color‑matched, daily disposables—blink, and you’ll see the competition already there.

About the author: Omid Razavi is the founder of SuccessLab and a global advocate for Customer Success, Service, and Support leadership. He has led executive forums and workshops across North America, Europe, and Asia, helping organizations align AI innovation with post-sales strategy and organizational design. Through SuccessLab and as host of the CCO Online and CSS Next virtual forums, he amplifies the voice of post-sales leaders, shaping strategic narratives and championing their critical role in driving customer value and long-term growth.

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