Vibe Coding: what it is and how AI is transforming software development

There comes a moment when a new term stops being a passing buzzword and starts becoming part of everyday professional language. For vibe coding, that moment is now. This AI-driven approach to software development is spreading rapidly, moving beyond developer communities and reaching product managers, marketers, and digital transformation leaders.
Vibe coding is not just a tool; it represents a shift in paradigm. The way people relate to software is evolving, moving from writing code to shaping intent.

To understand what vibe coding is, a metaphor can help. Imagine building a room. In the traditional model, every element is designed and constructed manually, requiring technical skills, knowledge of materials, and attention to detail. With vibe coding, instead, you describe the ideal room — its light, atmosphere, and function — and an AI system builds it according to your requirements, while you refine the outcome through an ongoing dialogue.

The term vibe coding was coined in 2025 by Andrej Karpathy, a researcher and one of the founding members of OpenAI, to describe an emerging practice: developing software by guiding a large language model without directly writing code. It is not a formalized methodology, but rather a way of working in which you define what you want to achieve, observe the generated output, and iteratively improve it. It is a process closer to creativity than to traditional engineering.

What sets vibe coding apart from traditional coding is not only the technique, but the relationship between humans and technology. In the classical model, developers write instructions that machines execute. In vibe coding, instead, the goal is defined and artificial intelligence translates it into working code.

This shift changes the center of gravity of the work: from syntax to meaning, from instruction to dialogue, from technical execution to the ability to express a vision. Critical thinking does not disappear; it evolves. It becomes essential to interpret the generated code, assess its alignment with the intended goal, and guide iterations with precision. In this sense, the programmer evolves from executor to something closer to a creative director.

Data confirms this transformation. Recent research shows that more than 85% of developers regularly use AI tools in their daily work (Faros AI, 2026), and around 42% of newly written code is now generated or assisted by artificial intelligence (Sonar, 2026). Vibe coding does not replace software development; it amplifies it by reducing time spent on repetitive tasks and freeing cognitive resources for architectural thinking and product vision.

To understand the value of vibe coding, imagine a company that needs to quickly develop a tool to monitor data from industrial sensors. With a traditional approach, such a project would require weeks of development, specialized engineers, and multiple review cycles. With vibe coding, a domain expert can describe the desired system behavior and quickly obtain a working prototype, refining it through continuous iteration. The result is a dramatic reduction in the time between idea and validation.

The value does not necessarily lie in the engineering perfection of the code, but in the speed at which solutions can be tested and adapted. In contexts characterized by uncertainty and rapid change, this compression of the decision-making cycle becomes a significant competitive advantage. It is no coincidence that an increasing number of startups are choosing to delegate much of their code generation to AI in order to focus on product definition. A clear signal of how this approach is already reshaping real processes comes from Y Combinator, the world’s most well-known startup accelerator. In 2025, a quarter of the startups in its latest batch developed 95% of their code entirely with AI.

One of the most compelling aspects of vibe coding is its ability to make software development accessible to those without technical backgrounds. A meaningful example is someone creating a personal website simply by describing its visual style, color palette, and page structure, achieving a fully functional result in just a few hours.

This dynamic is redefining the boundaries between professional roles. Marketers, product managers, and product specialists can now build tailored tools without relying entirely on IT teams. Vibe coding lowers barriers to entry and accelerates digital transformation, enabling faster and more widespread experimentation.

Vibe coding raises a broader question about what it means to create in the age of artificial intelligence. When part of the creative process can be delegated to a machine, the value of human contribution shifts.

History shows that every radical innovation does not replace creativity, but reshapes it. In this case as well, analytical thinking does not disappear; it is freed from technical constraints and redirected toward higher-value activities. The ability to imagine solutions, define priorities, evaluate trade-offs, and communicate visions effectively becomes central.

In today’s context, working with technology increasingly means being a thinker first and a technician second. Vibe coding represents a key step in this evolution.

Vibe coding is not a passing trend, but a concrete signal of transformation in the way software is developed. In a context where speed, adaptability, and the integration of diverse skills are critical, this approach accelerates innovation and expands access to technological creation.

It is no longer essential to know how to write code to build software, but it is increasingly important to think in a structured, goal-oriented way. It is in this shift that the deepest value of vibe coding emerges.

Article written in collaboration with Riccardo Capelli, Trainee and graduate student in Computer Science at the University of Milano-Bicocca.