37signals, known for its contrarian stance on big tech, has introduced Fizzy, a new Fizzy productivity app designed to strip away the complexity, boredom, and AI overload prevalent in today’s work software. This move by CEO Jason Fried directly challenges the status quo of modern organizational tools, aiming to refocus on fundamental utility.
For years, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson of 37signals have been vocal critics of prevailing tech trends and workplace norms. Their established products like Basecamp redefined project management, while Hey email service challenged traditional inbox paradigms with an emphasis on privacy and user control, paving the way for a new approach.
The launch of Fizzy continues this rebellious streak, directly targeting what Fried perceives as a bloated and overhyped landscape of productivity tools. The company’s new offering reflects a deep-seated belief that software should be simple, intuitive, and genuinely helpful, rather than a collection of unnecessary features and unfulfilled AI promises.
The simplicity revolution against AI overload
Jason Fried, CEO of 37signals, articulates a clear frustration with the current state of productivity apps: they are often boring, overly complicated, and packed with AI features that fail to deliver practical value. This perspective, highlighted in a recent Fast Company article published in January 2026, forms the core philosophy behind Fizzy.
Fizzy emerges as a deliberate counter-narrative to tools like Trello, Jira, and Asana, which 37signals argues have become bogged down by superfluous functionalities. The new app aims for a ‘return to the fundamentals,’ as Fried states, offering a streamlined experience that prioritizes clarity and ease of use over feature bloat.
This emphasis on simplicity is particularly relevant in an era where artificial intelligence is being integrated into nearly every software product, often without a clear benefit to the user. Fizzy bypasses the hype, focusing instead on core organizational needs without the added complexity of unproven AI functionalities.
Fizzy’s design philosophy and market impact
Visually, Fizzy bears a resemblance to kanban-style applications, employing cards and boards for task management, yet with a distinct minimalist approach. This design choice strips away layers of complexity, making it easier for users to manage projects and tasks without feeling overwhelmed by an excess of options and integrations.
The company’s history with products such as Basecamp and Hey demonstrates a consistent pattern of challenging industry standards and offering alternative solutions. Fizzy follows this tradition, presenting a fresh perspective on what a Fizzy productivity app should be in a crowded market.
By launching Fizzy, 37signals is not just introducing another app; they are making a statement about the direction of software development. They advocate for thoughtful design and genuine utility, pushing back against the trend of adding features for features’ sake, especially concerning AI integration that often falls short of expectations.
Fizzy represents a significant pivot in the discussion around productivity software, advocating for a return to essential functionality and user-centric design. As businesses grapple with digital fatigue and feature overload, 37signals’ latest offering provides a compelling alternative, emphasizing that true productivity may lie in elegant simplicity rather than technological excess. Its success could redefine expectations for how we interact with our daily work tools.
