用印度程序员冒充 AI 的“独角兽”彻底倒闭了！伪 AI 烧光 5 亿美元，连微软和亚马逊都被“坑”了

Core Viewpoint - Builder.ai, a tech startup supported by Microsoft, has officially entered bankruptcy after acknowledging issues within its former management, leaving it with significant debts to Amazon and Microsoft, prompting reflections on the application of AI in coding practices [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - Builder.ai was once valued close to $1 billion and raised $250 million in its D round of financing 24 months ago, supported by major investors including Microsoft [2][23]. - The company aimed to provide a no-code application building platform for users capable of addressing technical complexities, branding itself as an "AI-driven assembly line" for app development [3][5]. - Its core system, Natasha, was marketed as the "world's first AI product manager," designed to assist clients in designing and creating applications [3][5]. Group 2: Financial Struggles - Builder.ai's debts to Amazon and Microsoft exceed $100 million, with $85 million owed to Amazon and $30 million to Microsoft [2][23]. - The company reportedly burned over $500,000 daily, with its last annual report indicating that its revenue covered less than 9% of its expenses [20][22]. - In March 2023, the company had only $7 million in cash reserves, which dwindled further, leading to its inability to maintain basic operations [22]. Group 3: Operational Issues - Despite claims of AI-driven development, the company heavily relied on manual labor, employing thousands of low-cost developers to perform tasks it advertised as automated [8][18]. - Internal criticisms highlighted a chaotic and inefficient development experience, with claims that the company's UI engine failed to generate usable code, making manual coding faster and more reliable [12]. - Reports indicated that the company faced significant employee dissatisfaction due to practices that pressured developers and led to unpaid work hours [13][14]. Group 4: Leadership and Legal Challenges - CEO Sachin Dev Duggal stepped down in March 2023 amid ongoing legal issues, including a criminal investigation in India related to money laundering [16][18]. - The new CEO, Manpreet Ratia, revealed the dire financial situation during a bankruptcy call, confirming the company's inability to pay employees and maintain operations [22]. Group 5: Industry Implications - Builder.ai's collapse serves as a cautionary tale for other AI startups that may rely on human labor disguised as AI capabilities, raising concerns about the sustainability of such business models [25][28]. - The trend of "pseudo-AI" companies, which prioritize marketing over genuine technological development, has been observed, with several startups facing similar scrutiny and challenges [25][28].