Replit CEO shows how AI agents build apps in minutes using natural language

Replit CEO Amjad Masad outlined his vision for autonomous software development at VB Transform, demonstrating how the company’s AI agents can help non-developers build complete applications in minutes using natural language prompts. The platform’s “agents all the way down” approach aims to dramatically reduce enterprise software costs, with Masad citing examples of customers achieving “three orders of magnitude of savings” compared to traditional vendor solutions.

What you should know: Replit’s AI agents can autonomously handle complex development tasks that traditionally require extensive coding knowledge.

• A live demonstration showed how someone could build a complete polling app with databases, authentication, and quality checks in just 15 minutes using written prompts.
• The platform operates as what Masad calls “an almost semi-autonomous agent” that can work independently while sending notifications when tasks are complete.
• Replit v3 will include new APIs and abstractions that allow agents to quickly set up databases, payment processing, and other enterprise features.

The big picture: “Vibe coding” platforms are enabling rapid, low-cost application development that could disrupt traditional enterprise software markets.

• Masad predicts the value of creating apps could decline significantly and “perhaps to zero at some point” as AI agents become more capable.
• One customer reportedly built an ERP (enterprise resource planning) automation system for $400 using Replit instead of paying a vendor’s quoted price of $150,000.
• The company has surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue, representing a tenfold increase since the end of 2023.

Competitive landscape: Major tech companies are racing to capture the growing market for AI-powered development tools.

• Anthropic and Google have launched competing vibe coding platforms, while startups like Anywhere, Genspark, and Lovable have secured new funding.
• Replit differentiates itself through its full-stack approach and focus on creating autonomous software engineers rather than just coding assistants.
• The platform integrates with enterprise-grade systems, including helping companies build with Anthropic’s Claude on Google’s Vertex AI to support over 100,000 applications.

Security considerations: Masad acknowledged that AI-generated code without proper oversight can create vulnerabilities.

• “AI-generated code without proper checks could lead to leaked data or API keys,” he warned during the presentation.
• Replit addresses these risks through cloud-native design, sandboxing for testing agents in isolated environments, and automated vulnerability detection.
• The platform can highlight any piece of code and provide explanations to help users understand what the AI has created.

What they’re saying: Masad envisions a future where software development operates at higher levels of abstraction.

• “I think we’re going to get to a point where you don’t have to interface with the code,” he explained. “We’re going to be able to interact with software on a higher level of abstraction.”
• “The buzzword used to be the 10x engineer,” Masad noted. “You’re really just one person. You’re a team of engineers. I think every engineer is sort of a manager right now.”
• When describing user behavior, he said: “A lot of Replit users wake up in the morning, they have a problem in their minds, and they create an app to solve that problem.”

Looking ahead: The platform aims to expand beyond individual applications to comprehensive problem-solving automation.

• Future development includes ways for agents to skip intermediate steps and directly solve business problems without requiring app creation.
• Replit plans to generate UI changes automatically based on different device form factors as computing evolves toward AI-enabled wearables.
• The company expects agents will work collaboratively, with users creating “multiple agents to help with a single project.”