Softr is betting that AI-powered no-code tools are the next frontier for business app development — and it's moving fast to stake its claim.

The Berlin-based company has launched an AI-native no-code platform designed to let nontechnical teams build internal tools, dashboards, and business applications using natural language prompts. The public beta went live in June 2024.

Why This Matters: Democratizing App Development

No-code and low-code platforms have been chipping away at the technical barriers to software creation for years. But Softr's latest move — integrating generative AI directly into the app-building process — takes that democratization a step further. The company claims its new platform can shrink development timelines from weeks to minutes, potentially upending how enterprises prototype and deploy internal tools.

How It Works

Softr's AI-native platform lets users describe the app they want in plain English. The system then generates a functional business application, automatically connecting to data sources like Airtable, Google Sheets, and SmartSuite. The result: nontechnical teams can spin up dashboards, CRMs, and workflow tools without writing a single line of code.

"We believe the future of software creation is not just no-code, but AI-native," Softr CEO Mariam Hakobyan told VentureBeat. "Our goal is to empower anyone in a business to build the tools they need, instantly."

Traction and Adoption

Softr isn't starting from scratch. Over 400,000 organizations already use its platform, including teams at Netflix, Amazon, and Google, according to company data. The new AI-native offering builds on this base, aiming to accelerate adoption among enterprises looking to speed up digital transformation — without waiting for overburdened IT departments.

• 400,000+ organizations currently use Softr
• Public beta for the AI-native platform launched June 2024
• App development time can drop from weeks to minutes, according to Softr

The Bigger Picture: AI Meets No-Code

The no-code/low-code market has ballooned in recent years, with Gartner projecting it will reach $26.9 billion by 2023. But the integration of generative AI is a newer twist. By allowing users to build apps from natural language, platforms like Softr are lowering the bar even further — and, in theory, making "citizen development" a reality at scale.

For enterprises, this could mean faster prototyping, more experimentation, and less reliance on scarce developer resources. But it also raises questions about governance, security, and the risk of "shadow IT" as more employees gain the power to spin up business-critical tools on their own.

What to Watch Next

Softr's public beta will be a key test: Does the AI-native approach actually deliver on its promise of speed and accessibility? And will enterprises embrace the model, or push back over concerns about control and compliance?

Either way, the direction is clear: The combination of AI and no-code is rapidly reshaping the software development landscape. Softr's move signals that the race to empower nontechnical teams is just getting started — and the winners may be those who make app creation as simple as typing a sentence.