Vibe coding platform Base44 launches own model as AI startups seek defensibility

Base44, a vibe coding platform acquired by Wix, has launched its own artificial intelligence model to help users create apps using natural language. The move reflects a broader trend among AI startups seeking defensibility by developing proprietary models rather than relying solely on external frontier models, as questions have intensified about whether businesses built on top of someone else's models can remain competitive long-term. Base44's custom model was trained on data generated from tens of millions of real user interactions on its platform, giving the company potential advantages in latency, cost, and efficiency compared to general-purpose frontier models. This development occurs as inference costs have become a significant concern for enterprise customers, driving demand for optimization and selection among different models to maintain performance while controlling expenses.