AI coding boom lets non-programmers build apps in hours

(ECNS) - Artificial intelligence coding tools are enabling non-programmers in China to build and launch mobile apps within hours, lowering development costs and fueling a wave of small-scale entrepreneurship around so-called "vibe coding," according to developers.

Generative AI tools allow users with little or no traditional coding experience to create apps quickly and cheaply. Independent developer Chen Yunfei said he built a photography lighting app in about an hour after spotting demand on the social media platform Xiaohongshu (RedNote). A paid version later briefly topped Apple's App Store paid rankings, he said.

Chen said his two apps have each been downloaded between 300,000 and 500,000 times, while the paid version generated roughly 300,000 to 400,000 yuan ($41,000-$55,000) in revenue.

Another developer, identified as Shawn, said he built an AI desktop assistant app largely on his own while spending about 5,000 yuan per month on AI subscriptions, far below the estimated cost of hiring a traditional outsourced software team.

The trend reflects the rise of "vibe coding," a term describing software creation through natural-language prompts rather than manual coding.

Analysts cautioned, however, that easier development does not guarantee commercial success. Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research, said many AI startup projects remain short-lived because they lack sustainable business models and real user demand.

(By Zhang Jiahao)