Software whose architecture is designed, from the ground up, with artificial intelligence as its core operating component, not as an add-on feature.
In an AI-first system, AI doesn't assist the process: it is the process.
This means the software adapts to context, learns from every interaction, and generates dynamic workflows in real time rather than following pre-defined paths. Its logic is partly probabilistic, the same input may produce different results depending on context, user behaviour, and accumulated data.
The interface, data layer, and business logic are all built to serve the AI model, not the other way around. It differs from traditional software with integrated AI (AI-enhanced) by the depth of dependency: removing AI from an AI-first product is like removing the engine from a car.