Imagine a company with no human employees, entirely founded and managed by an AI agent. While it may sound like science fiction, this is the vision that former Monzo co-founder Jonas Templestein is striving to realize.
Templestein left Monzo in December 2022 to launch a new startup, Nustom, focusing on developing generative AI coding tools for SaaS products. Now, just eight months later, the company is shifting its focus to creating startups powered by AI.
The first venture from this initiative is Garple, a tool designed to generate domain names for new companies. Templestein describes this as a “Level 2 startup,” where AI agents assist in writing software from basic specifications and executing defined customer service processes, potentially replacing entire departments like support and quality assurance with AI.
Templestein envisions a future where AI agents autonomously decide which businesses to launch, secure funding—potentially through crypto tokens or other means—and operate them independently. “No humans required,” he asserts, noting that this evolution would necessitate major reforms in legal and financial systems.
His ideas have garnered support from former Monzo chief Tom Blomfield, who tweeted his enthusiasm, stating that Templestein has always contemplated starting a venture that could autonomously build startups, and that advancements in AI make this vision plausible.
Templestein’s perspective resonates with companies like Klarna, which has recently reduced its workforce and announced plans to limit human hiring, underlining the belief that “AI can now perform all of the jobs.” Klarna’s CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, reflects on the potential for AI to replace his own position, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and adapting to these technological shifts.
Siemiatkowski expressed a mix of concern and acceptance regarding the role of AI in the workforce, acknowledging the profound impact it may have on personal identity and job relevance. “I would rather learn and explore than pretend it does not exist,” he concluded.