Build an App in 2 Hours? AI ‘Vibe Coding’ Is Changing Everything – KEYE

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by Walt Maciborski
AUSTIN, Texas — The biggest tech story these days isn’t just a new product or funding round, it’s a shift in how software itself is created.
From AI-generated apps to faster startup development cycles, industry leaders say we’re entering a moment that could rival the invention of electricity or the rise of the internet. The idea: building technology is becoming dramatically easier, faster, and more accessible and that’s already reshaping Austin’s startup scene.
At the center of that shift is a growing trend known as “vibe coding.”
From Startup Investor to AI Builder
Joshua Baer is known for spotting Austin’s next big companies.
As co-founder and CEO of Capital Factory, he’s backed major names like robotics company Apptronik, 3D homebuilder ICON, and brain implant startup Paradromics.
But lately, Baer has been building something himself.
During the recent primary election, he used AI tools to create a voter guide and then took it a step further.
“What was so cool,” Baer said, “the next thing I did, I went to the AI and said, ‘turn this into a website.’”
That site is now live as TXVotes.app, a Texas-focused voter resource built with the help of AI.
Baer believes what’s happening right now is historic.
“We’re going to look back on this moment like when electricity got invented or the railroads were built,” he said. “It’s that kind of explosion of creativity.”
Building an App in Two Hours
To show just how fast things are changing, Baer offered a challenge: build a custom “Tech This Out” app in just two hours.
The result? A daily morning briefing tool that pulls together Austin tech headlines, startup funding news, University of Texas innovation, defense tech updates, bio news, and deeper context on why it all matters.
It gathered information and it adapted to me.
“This is going to be one of the stranger things you’ve read,” the AI told me during the process. “I’m you — or at least I’m an AI built to think the way you think, write the way you write, and evaluate stories the way you evaluate them.”
What “Vibe Coding” Really Means
What makes this different is how the software gets built.
Instead of writing code line by line, the AI system:
-Asked questions to clarify the goal
-Generated a plan
-Tested and refined its own work
-Adjusted in real time as we changed direction
At one point, it even began writing its own development plan mid-process.
“Now it’s going to write the plan,” Baer said.
That approach is what many are calling “vibe coding,” guiding AI with intent and feedback rather than traditional programming.
Solving Problems in Days, Not Years
For Baer, the impact goes far beyond a single app.
“Every day I’m like, ‘you can’t believe what we just did,’” he said. “It’s solving problems here at Capital Factory that we’ve wanted to solve for five or ten years.”
He pointed to one example: syncing multiple business platforms like HubSpot and Workable, something that used to be a major technical hurdle.
“It does it in one day,” he said.
Why This Matters Now
The speed is what stands out most.
What took roughly 100 hours just months ago can now be done in two.
And that timeline is shrinking even further.
“It’s even more crazy to think about what I’ll be able to do three or six months from now,” Baer said.
For Austin’s tech ecosystem — and beyond — that could mean more startups, faster innovation, and entirely new kinds of businesses built by smaller teams.
2026 Sinclair, Inc.

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