In his new thought-leadership article ‘My Lovable.io /Hate Relationship,’ ORA’s Technology Lead Ben Parkyn offers a witty, insightful take on what it really means to design with artificial intelligence — and why the human touch still matters most.
London, UK — October 2025 — When technology meets personality, sparks fly. That’s the story Ben Parkyn tells in his candid new essay, My Lovable.io / Hate Relationship, published on LinkedIn.
Part product diary, part relationship comedy, Ben’s piece chronicles his evolving partnership with Lovable.io, an emerging AI coding platform. He recounts the giddy thrill of their first ‘date,’ the growing pains of co-creation, and the awkward but enduring reality of working with a machine that is at once brilliant, forgetful, and occasionally overconfident.
‘Lovable seemed to understand me,’ Ben writes. ‘It listened, told me how wonderful my ideas were, and even solved problems I didn’t know I had. The conversation flowed — sparks flew — and it felt like the perfect match.’
But as with all relationships, reality eventually sets in. ‘The honeymoon period is over,’ he admits. ‘Now it’s constantly correcting me, less keen on the deep and meaningful chats, forgetting things we spoke about only days earlier — and worst of all, it keeps blaming me for everything.’
When AI Becomes a Creative Partner
Ben’s essay is more than an anecdote; it’s a thoughtful exploration of what happens when human creativity meets algorithmic assistance.
Lovable.io — a fast-moving generative AI development tool — promises to let non-engineers build functional apps and prototypes at lightning speed. For ORA, where digital innovation underpins the mission to transform accessible transport, that kind of power is tempting. But Ben’s experience shows that speed alone isn’t enough.
As he discovers, AI-driven software development demands as much oversight, patience, and collaboration as any human team.
‘This is not a hands-off experience,’ Ben cautions. ‘Without some awareness of how digital products are built, you can end up in a mess.’
He describes nights spent wrestling with Lovable’s decisions, chasing rogue database columns, and politely declining the AI’s alarming suggestions to ‘remove authentication checks’ for the sake of expedience. It’s part romance, part rollercoaster — and all too familiar to anyone working with next-generation AI tools.
Lessons from the Honeymoon
Across the humour, Ben distils a set of practical lessons for technologists, product managers, and anyone experimenting with AI-assisted coding.
- It’s not hands-off – AI needs supervision. Understanding basic engineering principles is still essential.
- Conversation beats command – Effective prompting requires dialogue, not dictation. Chat mode may be slower, but clarity beats chaos.
- The honeymoon fades – AI dazzles with prototypes but slows when confronted with real-world complexity: edge cases, data integrity, error handling.
- Give it space – Like an over-eager intern, AI performs best when given freedom within guardrails, not micromanagement.
- Know when to stop – Just because you can build more doesn’t mean you should. Product discipline still matters.
- Peer review is vital – No matter how clever the tool, every line of code still needs a second opinion.
Taken together, these principles offer a grounded perspective amid the hype. They’re also deeply consistent with ORA’s own philosophy: that technology succeeds only when humans stay meaningfully in control.
Balancing Curiosity and Caution
For ORA, Ben’s reflections are more than personal musings — they’re a case study in responsible experimentation.
AI platforms like Lovable.io are revolutionising how products are conceived and built, but as Ben observes, progress can quickly outpace process. Development cycles shorten dramatically, and traditional quality-assurance rhythms don’t always keep up.
‘With Lovable, what I’d normally call an MVP can be done in a day,’ he notes. ‘So should I build more? Maybe. But product principles still matter. Releasing too much at once makes it harder to learn what users value.’
That tension — between creative acceleration and technical debt — is at the heart of modern software strategy. Ben’s willingness to document it openly is both refreshing and instructive for a sector often dazzled by novelty.
Finding the Right Rhythm
In a world of instant iteration, Ben finds himself inventing new workflows on the fly. He jokes that he’s ‘begrudgingly slipped into something closer to waterfall — but with very short end-to-end cycles.’ It’s a revealing confession: even agile methodologies need re-thinking when AI can generate production-ready features overnight.
The solution, he argues, isn’t to resist change but to adapt thoughtfully — pairing AI’s creative power with human-led testing, validation, and peer review.
That peer review now includes not just colleagues but other AI systems. ‘As much as I enjoy Lovable’s praise, I don’t take it at face value,’ Ben writes. ‘I often lean on ChatGPT for critique: of ideas, approaches, even code.’ Sometimes he even gives it the persona of ‘a grizzled 20-year security veteran’ to keep things honest.
The result is a multi-agent conversation — part product lab, part therapy session — that keeps creativity grounded in rigour.
Is It Ready for Commitment?
Ben’s central question is one many technologists are asking: is AI-generated software ready for production?
He’s cautiously optimistic. For large, complex systems, the risks remain too high; but for smaller, well-scoped applications, he sees genuine potential — provided teams maintain strong checks and balances.
His main frustration isn’t code quality, but pipelines. Tools like Lovable still assume direct editing in production environments — anathema to developers focused on safety and separation. Ben outlines workarounds using sandboxed databases and manual migrations, but admits they’re ‘not particularly elegant.’
It’s a glimpse into the messy frontier where automation meets accountability — and a reminder that the infrastructure of AI development still needs human craftsmanship.
Voices from ORA Leadership
‘Ben’s humour and honesty cut through the noise,’ says Catherine Marris, ORA’s Director of Partnerships, Policy & Impact. ‘His reflections show what responsible innovation looks like: curiosity, caution, and creativity in equal measure. This is exactly the culture we want to nurture at ORA.’
David Dew Veal, CEO of ORA, adds: ‘What I love about Ben’s approach is that it’s hands-on and human. He’s testing the tools shaping our future but doing so with empathy and humility. It’s a reminder that technology should always serve people — not the other way around.’
What It Means for ORA’s Mission
For ORA, where technology is key to scaling accessible mobility, Ben’s love-hate dance with Lovable encapsulates the broader challenge: how to embrace innovation without compromising reliability or inclusion.
As the company expands its digital ecosystem — from booking platforms to fleet optimisation systems — AI tools are becoming integral to its workflow. But Ben’s experiment reinforces that success depends not just on what the technology can do, but on how responsibly it’s used.
His takeaway is simple yet profound: keep the conversation going. Whether between human and machine, product manager and developer, or company and customer, dialogue remains the glue that keeps innovation grounded.
‘Lovable forgets things, argues, and sometimes blames me,’ Ben jokes. ‘But it also surprises, delights, and delivers in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’m still committed. I want to make this work.’
That persistence — patient, practical, and playfully self-aware — embodies the spirit of ORA’s innovation team.
A New Kind of Relationship
In closing his article, Ben invites readers to share their own stories of AI partnership: ‘Are you treating it like a partner or just a fling?’ he asks. It’s a fitting metaphor for a moment when tools like Lovable are reshaping how we build.
At ORA, the answer is clear. AI isn’t a fling; it’s a collaborator — one that needs boundaries, empathy, and good communication.
And like any relationship worth keeping, it takes effort.
About Open Road Access (ORA)
Open Road Access (ORA) is a purpose-driven innovation company transforming accessible transport and closing the UK’s transport accessibility gap. Its mission is to ensure that everyone can move freely, independently, and with dignity.
Founded in 2023, ORA combines technology, co-design, and community engagement to deliver scalable, flexible mobility solutions. Its flagship Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) hire service offers nationwide coverage, flexible rental terms, and delivery direct to customers’ doors.
ORA aims to enable 15 million accessible journeys annually by 2030, redefining how accessible transport is conceived, designed, and delivered.
Website: www.openroadaccess.co.uk
Media contact: press@openroadaccess.co.uk
