AI is writing most startup code, but founders say it creates a 'slop' problem with quality and security

Summary

AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT are now writing the majority of startup code, creating a new problem of "slop" — low-quality, poorly understood code that works superficially but lacks depth, security, and maintainability. Business Insider surveyed dozens of founders who report that while AI dramatically accelerates development speed, it also produces code that founders and junior developers often don't fully understand, leading to technical debt, security vulnerabilities, and difficulty debugging. The article explores the double-edged nature of AI-assisted coding, where speed comes at the cost of genuine engineering skill development and code quality.

Source

bskyAI is writing most startup code, but founders say it creates a 'slop' problem with quality and securitybusinessinsider.com