TikTok’s feed has been flooded with influencer‑styled ads for Replit, a startup that packages Anthropic, OpenAI and Google models behind a low‑code interface. The clips show attractive creators prompting the platform to spin up an app that “could pay your rent” or “make you rich.” Still today, the pitch mirrors the “you can be an entrepreneur” promises of early‑stage tech hype.

The author compares this model to 1920s multi‑level marketing, where products like health supplements were sold by ordinary people who earned most of their income by recruiting others. Modern MLMs have shifted to wellness drinks and dubious gadgets, but the incentive structure remains the same: upfront fees with no guarantee of returns. MLM tactics now surface in AI‑powered “vibe‑coding” services.

Beyond false promises, the approach raises concrete problems. Apps generated without professional oversight may contain critical security flaws, exposing user data to breaches and GDPR fines. Subscription credits can balloon into hundreds of dollars if developers forget to cap usage. The piece warns that selling AI‑generated code to cash‑strapped creators repeats the exploitative pattern of past MLM schemes.