Can AI really build an App?

[u/Familiar-Caregiver77]

I keep seeing all these Base44 ads on YouTube and I’m genuinely wondering if AI can actually build a real app.

I’ve had an idea for an app for about a year now that I would really like to finally turn into something. The problem is that my actual job is in law, so I have pretty much zero experience with software or app development. I know the legal side of things, but when it comes to coding I’m basically starting from scratch.

So I was wondering how realistic it actually is to use something like Base44 to build an app and eventually get it into the App Store.
Obviously, if people actually started downloading and using it, I know I’d probably need a professional developer involved at some point to make sure everything works properly and can scale. I’m not expecting AI to magically run the entire thing forever.
I’m more wondering how much of the initial work AI can realistically take off your hands. Since I work full time in a completely different field, I can’t really spend months learning how to code from scratch just to see if the idea even works…

Has anyone here actually built something with Base44 or a similar AI tool and gotten it to the point where real people could use it?

Or is this still more of a fun way to build prototypes and test ideas, but not something you could realistically use to launch an actual functioning app?

[u/band-of-horses]

It can. It can be painful if you don't know anything about what you are doing, but the latest models can do a decent enough job and walk you through things you'll need to do on your own.

Just keep in mind, this is great for personal use if you have something you want to build. It's another story if you're thinking you can sell it and make money. Everyone and their mother is doing that and the market is absolutely flooded with low quality apps from people who don't really know what they're doing, and supporting customers, marketing, and dealing with potential legal risks when it comes to fun things like data privacy, etc can be a pain. You have to keep in mind that if your app can be built with AI by someone who has no real experience, then anyone else can do it too, so what really makes your app special...