Today, it’s rare to find a coder who isn’t using some form of AI pilot tool. Platforms like GitHub Copilot and Cursor.AI have become commonplace for getting debugging help and answering technical questions, but this may just be the beginning. One day, AI coding could include agents capable of writing entire programs based solely on natural language prompts, potentially even replacing human engineers.
Startups like Replit and Bubble, which can generate code from simple language prompts, are pioneering this approach. Some venture capitalists believe that companies will eventually need fewer human engineers, with each team equipped with an AI coding agent. "This isn’t just pie in the sky,” says VC partner Corrine Riley from Greylock. "It’s a near-future possibility, though we’re not quite there yet.”
Riley noted that many of Greylock’s portfolio companies are already allowing coding assistants in technical interviews for prospective hires. However, she cautions against relying solely on AI agents to replace human engineers in young companies just to save cash. "At the seed stage, you're building the foundational elements of the company. Making major engineering trade-offs at this point might not be the right move—you can make those choices later."
Elizabeth Yin, co-founder and general partner at Hustle Fund, emphasized that while cash management is crucial, young startups should maximize the use of AI coding assistants. "In the early stages, you often don’t fully understand the exact problem you’re solving or what your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) needs. You’ll end up redoing a lot of work, so moving faster allows you to learn faster."
Yin believes startups should embrace any tool that helps founders rapidly create product prototypes, even if they later need to rebuild them carefully. "If it means you learn faster, I’m all for it," she said.
This contrasts with pre-AI days, when every feature required manual coding by a skilled developer. Now, an engineer can prompt a model, debug using AI, and quickly preview their results. Renata Quintini, co-founder of Renegade Partners, agrees, suggesting, "If it’s about testing or finding product-market fit, leverage that AI, but don’t worry about perfecting it at the seed stage."
Interestingly, startups founded in 2024 are launching right out of the gate with AI-driven development processes. We may soon see the first wave of AI agent workforces, where the early adopters of these AI co-workers will be developers themselves—a concept that’s both visionary and prophetic.
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