Steven Kleinveld, founder of Skylark, explains why developers need to embrace AI

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 ...