By techycrunchy 
A new startup, /dev/agents, co-founded by former Google executives, aims to create an operating system specifically for AI agents that can handle multi-step tasks autonomously. This system will help AI agents collaborate and perform complex jobs such as booking flights, hotels, and excursions, without user supervision.
The Vision
David Singleton, co-founder and CEO of /dev/agents, draws parallels between the current AI landscape and the early days of mobile technology before Android was created. He believes that, just like mobile app development was challenging before Android, building advanced AI applications is difficult without standardized tools and frameworks. /dev/agents aims to fill this gap by developing a cloud-based operating system for AI, similar to how Android provided the infrastructure for mobile development.
The Team and Investors
The company has raised $56 million in a seed round led by Index Ventures and co-led by CapitalG, Alphabet’s independent growth fund. Notable investors include prominent figures from the tech world, such as Andrej Karpathy (OpenAI co-founder), Alexander Wang (Scale AI CEO), Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks CEO), and Andy Rubin (Android co-founder). The investment values the company at $500 million.
The Technology and Market Opportunity
The core idea behind /dev/agents is to create an AI operating system that supports generative AI to build personalized user interfaces and can work across various devices. This platform will enable AI agents to collaborate seamlessly to complete complex, multi-step tasks—such as managing travel arrangements or coordinating business workflows. Investors believe that while the technical infrastructure to enable such agents doesn’t exist yet, this operating system could unlock their full potential.
The Team’s Expertise
Singleton is joined by an experienced team, including:
- Hugo Barra (CPO), former VP of Android Product Management at Google and Meta’s Oculus VR division.
- Ficus Kirkpatrick (CTO), an early Android engineer and former VP of AR/VR at Meta.
- Nicholas Jitkoff, who worked as a principal designer on Google Chrome and held senior roles at Dropbox and Figma.
This seasoned team brings a wealth of experience in building platforms that scale, with past successes at Android and Stripe.
The Business Model
While /dev/agents’ platform is still in development, Singleton envisions a business model similar to Android’s. The company could generate revenue through commerce on the platform, either by taking a cut of sales or charging users a subscription fee.
What’s Next
The company plans to release the first version of its platform by early to mid next year. Investors, such as Nina Achadjian from Index Ventures, believe that if any team can solve the technical challenges of building a unified AI operating system, it’s the team behind /dev/agents, given their history of building groundbreaking technologies.
This ambitious project signals a significant step toward realizing the potential of AI agents and could be a game-changer in the field.