I tried China's hot new vibe coding app. One feature is light-years ahead of ChatGPT.

A groundbreaking coding application from China has recently taken the tech world by storm, amassing over 2 million downloads within just days of its launch. Known as LingGuang, this innovative tool allows users to create applications through straightforward language prompts. Released on November 18, the app's popularity was so intense that it temporarily crashed due to the influx of users. Upon logging in with an Alibaba account, users are greeted by a visually striking mountain landscape and a motto: "Let the complex be simple." LingGuang distinguishes itself from traditional coding platforms not only with its appealing interface but also with a standout feature: its artificial general intelligence (AGI) camera. This advanced camera can analyze scenes in real-time, enabling users to receive information and editing capabilities without needing to upload images. During my testing, I pointed the AGI camera at a startup founder in a podcast clip, and the app immediately recognized him and identified his company. This level of functionality was further demonstrated in a local supermarket, where I sought a post-workout protein smoothie. The camera quickly identified several products, providing detailed information about protein content, flavors, and suitability, making my shopping experience more efficient. To compare its capabilities with those of OpenAI's ChatGPT, I utilized the same task. Unlike LingGuang, which analyzed scenes instantly, ChatGPT required me to upload photos manually, a step that felt outdated compared to LingGuang's seamless process. While ChatGPT delivered thorough comparisons, it lacked the immediacy and visual integration that LingGuang offered. Moreover, LingGuang's user interface features tappable prompt bubbles that guide users through their actions, creating an interactive experience reminiscent of augmented reality. In contrast, ChatGPT presents its prompts below the chatbox, necessitating additional typing. However, LingGuang does come with a limitation: it does not save any data from AGI sessions, making it challenging to refer back to previous outputs. In contrast, ChatGPT retains uploaded images for future reference. Notably, LingGuang also provides a unique feature that ChatGPT does not: the ability to generate videos and images on-the-fly. Users can transform photos into animated clips directly through the app, enhancing the creative process. LingGuang's flash app feature, which briefly crashed due to high demand, can create mini-apps in about 30 seconds. During my experience, I requested a 'meal decision' generator, and within a minute, it provided a fully functional app complete with dish descriptions and playful sounds. This feature felt almost magical, especially when it tailored recommendations to local cuisine after I prompted it to focus on Singaporean dishes. While ChatGPT provided detailed coding instructions for a similar app, it lacked the immediacy that LingGuang’s approach offered. For straightforward tasks, LingGuang excels with its quick and user-friendly solutions, while for more intricate projects, users might still prefer the depth of ChatGPT's coding capabilities.