'Insight, taste, and distribution': How to turn vibe-coded apps into cash

As AI-driven 'vibe coding' lowers the barrier to entry for app development, Stan Marchand, CEO of Rocapine, argues that the focus for success has shifted. With the technical effort of building an app now largely automated, the true value lies in the remaining 20% of human-led work: insight, taste, and distribution. Marchand emphasizes that while code quality is less critical in an era of AI, developers must prioritize product-market fit, user retention, and clear data practices to build sustainable businesses. Investors are no longer looking for technical perfection, but rather for evidence of market resonance and verifiable metrics. To succeed, creators must move beyond the ease of generation and focus on solving genuine user needs, ensuring their products are legally compliant and structurally sound. Ultimately, the ability to turn a prototype into a profitable venture depends on human intuition and the ability to tell a compelling product story.