Google knows asking agents to navigate GUIs designed for humans is ridiculous. Microsoft might not

Opinion The command line interface is making a comeback because graphical user interfaces are a poor fit for autonomous agents, which could spell trouble for a lot of software – and software makers.

Forty years ago, all successful software boasted a well thought-out GUI and products without one had no chance. Good GUIs provided relief from the cognitive load associated with operating a piece of software, a burden that dropped precipitously as software converged on the same menu items and mouse gestures.

As the WIMPS (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers) interface became ubiquitous, learning to use one piece of software meant you knew almost everything needed to use every other. That's now such a truism we don't even think about it anymore, but was quite revolutionary back in the day.

It couldn't last. The clarity of the classical GUI descended into Rococo flourishes of "ribbons" and "floating panels," a ...