TLDR;
Amjad, the founder and CEO of Replit, discusses the platform's mission to democratise software development and entrepreneurship. He addresses concerns about AI potentially making software engineers obsolete, highlighting that while large companies will still need them, AI empowers entrepreneurs to build their own apps. Amjad shares Replit's impressive growth, reaching $144 million ARR, and the increasing number of active apps built on the platform. He also offers advice on improving prompting skills, the importance of grit and resourcefulness, and balancing family and business.
- AI empowers entrepreneurs to build apps, but software engineers will still be needed in large companies.
- Replit has reached $144 million ARR and is experiencing rapid growth.
- Grit, resourcefulness, and domain knowledge are crucial for success in building with AI.
- Replit is launching a new feature in September to automate quality assurance and testing.
- Balancing family and business requires integration and setting boundaries.
Will software engineers become obsolete as AI builds everything? [0:40]
Amjad believes that while large companies will always need software engineers, AI is empowering entrepreneurs to build their own apps. He shares a story of a CFO at a VC firm who built his dream app using Replit and is now on track to make £4 million, highlighting how AI can remove the bottleneck of needing technical skills. The goal is to make entrepreneurship more accessible by making software creation easier.
From $0 to $144M ARR [3:00]
Replit tracks various metrics across different teams, but ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) is a universal metric that everyone focuses on. Replit has reached $144 million ARR and is experiencing rapid growth. This growth is encouraging for entrepreneurs who don't see progress right away, as it demonstrates the potential for long-term success.
Millions Building on Replit: What People Are Creating Today [4:06]
Approximately 50,000 people are using Replit at any given moment, with about 350,000 active, paid online apps built on the platform, growing at 25% month over month. While Replit doesn't currently track how many of these apps generate revenue, they plan to integrate with Stripe to enable monetisation tracking. The mission is to make entrepreneurship more accessible by making software creation easier.
FREE Guide: How to Improve Your Prompting Skills [4:56]
HubSpot has released a guide called the "10 Zero to Ship Vibe Code Prompts," offering frameworks to help turn business ideas into working lead generation web apps without coding experience. These prompts include tools like a viral hook generator, lead quality optimiser, and a Replit build prompter, acting as an AI product manager to define customers, build prototypes, and generate launch content.
Building an App LIVE with Amjad [5:58]
Building with Replit still requires effort and acts as a software development manager. When encountering errors, it's important to check the logs and communicate the issue precisely to the agent. Prompt engineering is similar to programming, requiring precision even without the need to understand syntax.
Prompting Secrets: How to Instantly Get Better Results [7:26]
Communicating precisely with the AI agent is crucial for better results. Prompt engineering is similar to programming, requiring precision even without the need to understand syntax. An app that might have taken a senior engineer a couple of weeks and £10,000-£15,000 to build can now be built in a couple of days using Replit.
Where to Learn AI Skills Fast [8:25]
To improve prompting skills, Replit has a YouTube channel with content created by their developer relations person, Matt. Learning to prompt requires resourcefulness, practice, and experimentation. Paul Graham, the founder of Y Combinator, emphasised the importance of being relentlessly resourceful as a key quality of successful founders.
Why Amjad Started Replit [10:11]
Amjad started Replit because he saw that programming was hard and needed to be made easier. Initially, he didn't want to start a business due to the pain he had seen at other startups. He even tried to sell Replit to Facebook, where he was working, but eventually decided to pursue it as a business due to its growing user base and the meaning he found in helping people create businesses.
The #1 Trait for Success [11:30]
Grit and resourcefulness are very important for success. Domain knowledge is also crucial; you need to imbue your domain knowledge into the agent to gain a competitive advantage.
Generating New Ideas with AI: The Limitations of AI [13:05]
Amjad is skeptical about the vision of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). While AI can build competent agents, humans will always be needed as drivers. Large language models train on past data and may struggle to come up with novel, creative ideas based on current changes in the world. New ideas often involve a novel insight, which is a fundamentally human element.
Deploying in Real-Time [16:08]
The video shows a live deployment of an app on Replit, encountering and troubleshooting issues in real-time.
The Future of Software Engineers: Vibe Coders vs. Traditional Devs [16:30]
Engineering jobs will continue to exist, especially in domain-specific areas. Platform engineers at large companies and engineers working on critical systems like those at NASA will still be needed. However, product builders should focus on building the product and learn coding along the way, being resourceful.
Big Launch in September [18:13]
Replit is launching a new feature in September that automates quality assurance and testing, addressing a routine and uncreative task that current vibe coding platforms leave to the user. The team is working hard on the launch, with an offsite and sprint week planned.
Balancing Family & Business [19:30]
Amjad and his wife, who is also his co-founder, practice work-life integration, bringing their children to the office and allowing employees to bring their families on company trips. Amjad spends mornings with his children and feels present in their lives despite his demanding schedule.
Why Developers Choose Replit Over Other AI Coding Tools [21:10]
Replit differentiates itself through its infrastructure innovation, built over 10 years. While other platforms may quickly generate a pretty website, Replit offers a more comprehensive set of tools, including a database, object storage, and authentication. Replit will diverge from other applications because it has built up a massive amount of infrastructure.
Biggest Mistakes Builders Make (And How to Avoid Them) [23:05]
The biggest mistake builders make is not overcommunicating with the agent. Replit's environment provides tools like logs to help with this. On marketing, domain knowledge and grit are essential.
Why Grit Matters More Than Ideas [24:00]
Grit, or not quitting, is a key differentiator. Most people quit, so just keep going. Amjad has been working on his vision for 10 years and believes Replit will eventually be a trillion-dollar company.
Marketing Tips for New Builders [25:20]
Launch frequently and iterate on your messaging. Even with the same product, make tweaks and show it in different ways. Reach out to influencers and partners. Amjad launched Replit three or four times with different messaging before it gained traction.
Amjad’s 3 Favorite AI Apps [26:10]
Amjad's top three AI apps are Replit, Plexity for deep research, and Chat GPT for brainstorming.
How Amjad Uses GPT & Replit Daily [26:50]
Amjad uses Chat GPT for prompting and brainstorming. He also builds small Replit apps for specific needs, such as a Chat GPT interface for his Kindle Scribe that doesn't require JavaScript. He finds Replit addictive because it allows him to quickly solve problems with custom software.
The Hardest Moment: What Almost Killed Replit [27:53]
The hardest moment was last year's layoff, which was heartbreaking due to Replit's positive culture and close-knit team. The business wasn't doing well, and they were in an awkward position of not being good enough for senior engineers or easy enough for beginners. Despite having just moved into a large office, they had to cut 30-40% of the team. Many people left, making it a dark time. However, the core team working on the agent stayed motivated and worked long hours, leading to Replit's success.
Pitching to Peter Thiel [30:20]
Peter Thiel passed on investing in Replit after Amjad pitched him on the importance of AI, as Thiel is skeptical of buzzwords. Thiel later changed his opinion and invested in Cognition, another agent coding company. Amjad sent Thiel an email acknowledging his respect for him and highlighting that he had seen the future of AI at that moment.
The Most Important Thing for Any Entrepreneur [32:45]
Having doubters and naysayers is a great motivator for entrepreneurs. Proving them wrong is a rewarding feeling. While money is cool and provides resources, entrepreneurs find meaning in overcoming struggles and proving doubters wrong.
What the Next Generation Should Learn to Succeed [33:20]
Amjad believes that the next generation should focus on becoming polymaths, understanding a lot of things, and having a real business impact. The industrial revolution treated humans like machines, but we are going back to a time where there are more opportunities for entrepreneurship.
What Should Girls Learn to Thrive in the AI Era? [35:24]
Amjad believes that girls are not fundamentally predisposed to certain types of jobs and that upbringing and education play a significant role. He advises teaching children to be resourceful and acknowledging the uncertainty of the future.
How Soon Will a Solo Entrepreneur Build a $1B Company? [37:10]
Amjad believes a solopreneur could build a company with a £40 million revenue, resulting in a billion-dollar valuation, in the next few years. This is achievable with domain knowledge and the right software.