Founders’ takes: AI isn’t the end of developers — it’s their evolution

Founders’ takes is a new series featuring expert insights from tech leaders transforming industries with artificial intelligence. In this edition, Steven Kleinveld, founder of applied AI lab Skylark, argues that vibe coding won’t replace developers — it’ll upgrade them.

There’s been a lot of talk lately that AI is going to replace developers. With the rise of tools that let you prompt your way into building apps, people are starting to wonder: “Are developers even still needed?” The short answer: yes — more than ever.

The hype around no-code and “vibe coding” makes it seem like anyone can build a solid MVP overnight. And sure, tools like Lovable, Bolt, and Canva Code are great for testing ideas quickly. But once things get more complex, these tools hit a ceiling…

You still need someone who knows how things actually work — backend logic, data flows, design systems, UX decisions. The stuff that makes a product good, not just functional. That’s where developers come in — and not just any developers, but those who know how to work with AI, not fear it.

This isn’t the end of developers. It’s a shift in how they work. It’s well documented that LLMs such as Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT have been drastically improving. As a result of this, the quality of AI tooling has skyrocketed, allowing developers to work with superhuman efficiency, thus becoming more valuable. This moment in tech isn’t about replacing developers; it’s about how they evolve.

AI won’t replace developers. But developers who use AI will replace the ones who don’t

Just to be clear, AI is amazing at taking care of the repetitive stuff — generating code snippets, filling in boilerplate, even giving you a head start on a frontend. But that doesn’t mean it can build a reliable, secure, and scalable product from scratch.

As the CEO of Skylark, an applied AI lab, I’m well aware of how quickly the field is evolving. But it will still be years before AI models master all three elements — reliability, security, and scalability — without a human in the loop.

Developers who get AI get supercharged

The real winners in this AI wave? Developers who know how to work with it.

If you’re a backend developer, AI can help you with front-end tasks you’re less confident in. If you’re full-stack, you can use it to speed up your workflow and focus on the tricky parts you enjoy most. It’s like having a really fast assistant — but you still need to be the one steering the ship.

The key is knowing what you’re good at, what you’re not, and where AI can fill in the gaps. That’s what makes a developer “AI-savvy.” And in my view, that’s becoming one of the most valuable skills out there.

Vibe coding is fun, but it won’t take you all the way

We’ve all seen the trend of prompting an AI to “just build this” and hoping it works. It’s fast, it’s playful, and sometimes it’s surprisingly good. But it can also lead to what I call ‘AI drift’: when your product slowly shifts away from your original idea because the AI starts adding unnecessary features or misinterpreting what you want.

This is where experienced developers make the difference. They know when something’s off. They know when to stop the AI and fix things. They know how to spot bugs or security issues the AI missed. Non-technical folks often miss these signs — and that’s where things can break, fast.

So no, AI isn’t replacing developers. It’s giving the best ones extra gear.

Of course, not every founder will be technical. But even non-tech founders will need to understand how AI works and, more importantly, what its limits are. Knowing how to prompt an AI is one thing. Knowing when the output is wrong is a whole other skill.

Bottom line: AI is a tool, not a replacement

Developers who learn how to work with AI will only become more valuable. They’ll build faster, smarter, and with fewer people, but they’ll still be the ones driving the process.

So if you’re a developer wondering if AI is coming for your job, I’d say: don’t worry. Just get familiar with the tools, stay sharp on your skills, and figure out how AI can make you better.

This isn’t the end of the road — it’s a new chapter. And developers are still very much the main characters.