🤖 GitHub CEO to Startups: Don't Rely Only on AI – You Need Real Developers!
📍 Paris, VivaTech Conference – Station F Startup Campus
GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke delivered a strong message to aspiring startup founders during his talk: while AI tools can help you get started quickly, they are not enough on their own. To truly grow, scale, and succeed, you’ll need skilled human developers who understand how to build and maintain complex systems. Speaking at VivaTech in Paris, Dohmke cautioned that startups relying mostly on AI-generated code might face difficulties when trying to raise funding or differentiate themselves in a crowded tech landscape.
“A startup with only AI-generated code doesn’t offer much value to investors,” he emphasized, adding that investors are looking for depth, originality, and solid engineering foundations-not just AI-assembled prototypes.
🚀 AI Helps Start, But Can’t Scale Alone
Thanks to modern AI tools, launching a startup or building a product has become faster and more accessible than ever. Many non-technical founders are now turning to “vibe coding” – a method where they use natural language prompts to automatically generate code using AI. This approach allows small teams to develop apps and prototypes quickly, saving both time and money.
But here's the catch:
💬 “Why would an investor pick you when there are 10 others doing the same thing with AI?”
With so many startups using the same AI tools and methods, it becomes difficult to stand out. Dohmke pointed out that while AI is great for prototyping, it lacks the strategic thinking and problem-solving required to build robust, scalable, and unique systems. That’s where experienced developers come in-they bring the technical depth that investors look for.
“Non-technical founders will struggle to scale without real developers.”
Without skilled engineers, a startup may hit a ceiling, unable to handle growth, adapt to complex user needs, or build features that truly differentiate them in the market.
📈 AI Adoption Is Booming, But Human Skills Still Matter
In just the last couple of years, AI has gone from a niche innovation to a mainstream phenomenon. What once required convincing now has the entire tech world buzzing with FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) 😅. Startups, enterprises, and developers everywhere are racing to integrate AI into their workflows and products.
But despite the excitement, Dohmke made one thing very clear:
🧠 Real engineering and human skills are still the backbone of successful startups.
AI may assist with writing code or automating tasks, but it lacks the intuition, creativity, and critical thinking that real developers bring to the table. Tools like GitHub Copilot can speed things up, but they are only as good as the humans guiding them.
To build something scalable and sustainable, you still need developers who can:
✅ Understand and design complex system architecture
✅ Handle intricate backend processes and logic
✅ Make smart decisions about when to rely on AI-and when to code manually
In other words, AI is a powerful assistant, but it can’t replace the depth and expertise that comes with real human experience.
👶 Teach Kids to Code, Too!
Beyond startups and investors, Thomas Dohmke believes the power of coding should start early - with children.
💡 “Every child should learn to code,” he emphasized, highlighting the importance of digital literacy in an AI-driven world. When kids learn how code works, they gain the ability to understand technology, think logically, and make informed decisions about when to rely on AI - and when to take matters into their own hands.
He stressed that while AI can be a helpful tool, it shouldn’t be a crutch. Developers (and even beginners) should know their craft well enough to recognize when they’re using AI for convenience - versus when it’s simply slowing them down.
“Using AI prompts for things you already know how to do is a waste of time,” he warned ⏳, encouraging creators to build a solid foundation in real coding before leaning too much on automation.
💬 Final Thought
There’s no doubt that AI is a powerful and game-changing tool - it’s transforming the way we build, code, and innovate. But even with all its potential, AI is not a full replacement for skilled developers.
Behind every successful, scalable startup is a team of real people who understand the tech at its core.
To build something big, bold, and truly lasting, startups still need human brains behind the code! 👨💻👩💻
Use AI as your assistant - not your entire team.
Source: msn.com
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