Would you build your own apps?
AI tools aim to help novices build their own apps
Start-ups are trying to make app creation accessible to non-specialists by using AI to turn simple descriptions into working software. One such service, Kineto, offers a browser-based app builder that lets users create and publish apps without downloading or installing anything, then share them by link.
To test the idea, one user built three apps with the tool: a flashcard app for French vocabulary, a typing tutor that measures speed and accuracy, and a broken-link checker for a website. For each project, the process involved entering a description, choosing a colour scheme and waiting for an initial version to be generated.
As with traditional software development, the first version did not always work properly. The typing tutor, for example, initially failed to recognise keypresses, so the apps had to be refined through repeated rounds of testing and feedback. Kineto says app building today can take an hour or two and around 10 iterations to achieve a good result.
How the process works
Kineto’s apps run entirely in the browser, requiring an internet connection and not being distributed through app stores. The company says this design helps reduce security and privacy risks because no code runs on the user’s device and data access is limited to explicit uploads.
Behind the scenes, the platform uses multiple AI agents assigned to tasks such as image creation, web searches and app testing. Kineto says it evaluates large language models to determine which are best suited to each task, while also trying to reduce basic problems before delivering the first version to users.
The results varied by complexity. Simpler apps, such as the typing tutor and vocabulary trainer, were relatively easy to create from a short description and a few refinement rounds. The link checker proved more difficult, requiring significantly more bug fixing and support-team help using specialised prompts.
Promise and doubts over DIY app building
Kineto founder Andrew Zakonov said the company believes the process will become faster as the technology improves. He said he expects a time when making an app could take about half an hour, though that would require further breakthroughs.
The company also offers higher-priced tiers with more published projects, more storage and additional AI credits. It is targeting online creators such as YouTubers, who might use the tools to make interactive courses and other app-based experiences.
Jules Goldberg, founder of Reviva Softworks and creator of the snoring-tracker app SnoreLab, said there is clear appeal in making app creation more accessible. But he doubts AI-generated app development will become mainstream, arguing that most people will still find it easier to download an app someone else has already made.
He also questioned whether there is a strong business in selling simple AI-generated apps, saying that if such products become easy to create, they may lose value. In his view, polished presentation alone is not enough; what matters is the depth of research, technology and experience behind an app. He added that even if building a basic app becomes easier, getting it in front of users remains expensive, giving established apps a major market advantage.
Outlook
Despite that skepticism, Zakonov remains optimistic that AI can lower the barriers to app creation. He said the company began by asking what would happen if app building could be made smooth enough that users would not need to learn technical skills first.
His view is that, if the process becomes easy, fun and interactive enough, far more people could eventually become creators.