AI is changing the economics of building software in Jersey
For years, many Jersey businesses have assumed that bespoke software was simply out of reach. Purpose-built tools were seen as expensive, involving complex projects, and only viable for larger organisations.
Generative AI is changing that assumption.
Swoop.je, a newly launched mortgage comparison website built specifically for the Jersey market, demonstrates how AI is fundamentally altering the economics of software development. The platform brings together over 300 mortgage products from all seven local lenders into a single, simple interface. While similar tools exist in the UK, building and maintaining one for Jersey’s population would historically have been prohibitively expensive.
Until recently, the cost of traditional development, ongoing maintenance, and content creation would have made a platform like this commercially unviable.
Swoop was created by Blue Llama, a Jersey-based AI and digital agency, using an AI-first approach to product development. The platform was built using vibe coding, where AI is prompted to generate software rather than developers writing code line by line. This dramatically reduced development time and cost, making it possible to build a production-ready digital product for a small, local market.
AI is also used operationally within the platform itself. Mortgage rates are gathered automatically from lender websites each day, ensuring information remains accurate and up to date without manual intervention. The site also includes Morty, an AI assistant who helps users understand mortgage terminology and navigate the buying process, reducing friction and improving their understanding.
AI was also used throughout the wider creation of Swoop. This included generating and refining website content, drafting legal contracts, and producing a promotional video set in St Brelade’s Bay without a single camera being needed. What would previously have required multiple specialist suppliers and cost tens of thousands of pounds was delivered faster and far more cost-effectively using AI-powered tools.
“Swoop is really a case study in what’s now possible,” says Phil, owner of Blue Llama, the Jersey-based AI and digital agency behind the project. “Not one line of code was hand written to create Swoop, this simply wouldn’t have been possible even a year ago.”
Crucially, Phil believes the implications extend far beyond consumer-facing platforms like Swoop.
“AI has dramatically lowered the barrier to building bespoke digital products,” he says. “Software that would previously have cost tens of thousands of pounds to design, build, and maintain are now genuinely viable, even for small businesses and small markets like Jersey.”
This shift is not limited to new public websites. The same approach can be applied inside companies, from custom apps and reporting tools to internal dashboards. For many local businesses, the choice has traditionally been between expensive custom software or forcing their processes to fit off-the-shelf tools. AI changes that.
“As a small island, we’ve often assumed certain digital tools just weren’t viable here,” says Phil. “AI challenges that assumption. If a platform like Swoop can now exist, the real opportunity is thinking about what else could be built for Jersey, and which challenges inside our own businesses no longer need to be accepted.”
About Swoop.je:
Swoop.je is an independent, AI-powered mortgage comparison website built specifically for the Jersey market. It enables islanders to compare mortgage products from all seven local lenders in one place, providing transparent and up-to-date information without commercial bias. Users can filter results, view estimated monthly payments, and send enquiries directly to their chosen lender.
About Blue Llama:
Swoop was created by Blue Llama, a Jersey-based digital agency specialising in AI automation and web development.
