What is an AI agent, vibe-coding, or AI-assisted development for that matter?

AI-assisted development is when you use AI while you are actively coding. The AI helps you write functions, debug issues, refactor code, or explain unfamiliar patterns, but you are still driving the development process. Think of it as having a highly skilled coding partner sitting next to you, speeding you up and filling in gaps, but not taking over the wheel.

Vibe coding is different. This is when you ask the AI to build things for you from scratch without you writing any real code yourself. Instead of collaborating line-by-line, you’re describing what you want and letting the AI generate full components, workflows, or even entire MVPs. You’re not coding alongside the AI. You’re orchestrating, directing, and reviewing what it produces.

Why is it important

In 2025, if you aren’t using AI Agents or AI-assisted development tools, you’re wasting time and you’re definitely wasting money. This is not the same thing as the no-code AI builders floating around, which are fine for assembling basic interfaces but tap out fast when anything gets remotely complex.

AI development helps you:

• Explore product ideas quickly
• Build rough MVPs in days instead of weeks
• Dig into code you don’t fully understand yet
• Test, refactor, and restructure without a full engineering team

It’s one of the fastest ways for you to find out whether the idea in your head actually makes sense.

But here’s the catch: managing AI effectively still requires product thinking, technical intuition, and some understanding of QA. You cannot skip the fundamentals. You’re not launching a scalable production system just by “talking nicely” to an AI agent. Maybe someday, but not today.

How does it help you?

Can AI launch your startup for you next month?

Maybe. But only if you know how to work with it.

Here’s a practical playbook to get you started.

Reduce time ideating

Open your favorite AI chat tool and use it as a sounding board. Start with a one-paragraph concept summary, then run a MoSCoW exercise (Must, Should, Could, Won’t) to figure out what matters for your MVP.

Ask questions like:

1. How big is the market really?
2. Is this something I can stand out in, or am I walking into a shark tank?
3. What tech stack gives me the best shot at getting version one live fast?

This alone can save you weeks of wandering.

Create strong requirements for the AI Agent

Once you know what you want, shape it into something your AI dev agent can actually use.

Prompts like:

1. “Generate a full PRD for this project.”
2. “Create a best-practices doc I can use to guide ongoing development.”

Good documentation becomes the guardrail system that AI needs. Without it, you’ll spend most of your time cleaning up your own mess.

Learn how to prompt and solve issues

AI tools evolve constantly. Editors change, workflow features appear and disappear, and everything silently updates behind the scenes. The only stable skill is knowing how to prompt well.

Set up your environment with:

• Prompt files for different parts of the SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle)
• Clear command prompts like: “Summarize everything done in this session and prepare a commit message.”

If you’re a non-technical founder, this structure is not optional. It’s what keeps the AI on the rails.

Deploy, test, and get feedback quickly

Use tools like GitHub Copilot, CodeRabbit, PostHog, Sentry, Userbase, and others to create a real feedback loop. Even without writing code, you can:

• Spot issues
• Ask AI to fix them
• Deploy the fix

Most modern SaaS dev platforms (Replit, Lovable, v0, etc.) include CI/CD built in. Push a button, see your changes, iterate again. You’re not managing servers. You’re just shipping.

How can we help?

Download our MVP AI Toolkit. It breaks down the tools, workflows, and practices we use when guiding founders through early development.

If you hit a wall, we’re here. Book time with us: https://calendly.com/malcolm-paul/30min

Additional Resources

• Download our AI Toolkit for MVP development

Attributions

• Hero by Daniil Komov on Unsplash

What’s next?

We’re preparing courses to help non-technical founders build smarter and earlier using AI. Keep an eye out for those if you’re serious about leveling up your skills.