What's happening
Developers are experimenting with "vibe coding" - using AI editors like Cursor to build applications through conversational prompts rather than writing code manually. Engineering leader Nikola Brežnjak published a tutorial building a Pokémon search app this way, following his earlier Replit version from January 2024.
The process: describe what you want in plain language, the AI generates the code, you iterate through prompts until you're satisfied. Brežnjak used voice input via WisprFlow to avoid even typing the prompts.
The technical reality
Cursor (a VS Code fork) includes an AI agent that plans and implements changes across codebases. In Plan mode, you describe requirements - "build a Pokémon search app with autocomplete, card-based UI, responsive design" - and the AI generates a product requirements document before writing code.
Brežnjak's workflow: start with a detailed spec prompt, let Cursor propose a tech stack (vanilla JS, Tailwind CSS), iterate through implementation with conversational instructions. The same app he previously built with manual Vue.js and React tutorials, now assembled through prompts.
The approach works for rapid prototyping and MVPs. Whether it scales to production systems with security, performance, and maintenance requirements is less clear.
The enterprise angle
For CTOs: this isn't about replacing developers. It's about changing what "development" means. Your teams already use Stack Overflow, GitHub Copilot, and ChatGPT. This is the next step - editors that understand context across files and can execute multi-step changes.
Brežnjak's take: developers who resist this are like those who rejected Stack Overflow. Fair point. But he also warns against using AI to avoid learning - understanding the underlying code matters for debugging, optimization, and maintenance.
The trade-off: faster prototyping and unblocking, but you still need developers who understand what the AI generated. History suggests tools that boost productivity win. The question isn't whether to adopt conversational coding, but when your team will need to.
What to watch
How quickly these tools handle complex enterprise scenarios - microservices, legacy system integration, compliance requirements. Brežnjak's Pokémon app is instructive, but it's a single-page application with one API dependency. Production systems are messier.
Also worth noting: no funding announcements, no market size data. Just an engineering leader sharing what's possible. Sometimes that's more interesting than the breathless Series A press releases.