Vibe coding” is supposed to reference coding with an AI. Not just coding with and AI but coding exclusively through an AI. “coding,” meanwhile, as a term, is supposed to denote a human-in-the-loop. Maybe you use an AI somewhat, but the program you produce is still chiefly the product of a human mind. Yours.
But how much longer will that be true?
There was a great article a while ago on Hacker News about how Agentic Coding and vibe coding are becoming worryingly similar. As AI gets better and better at coding, it needs less and less hand holding.
I’m optimistic. I believe there will always be a human in the loop because ultimately AI is just a tool - it needs a human wielding it, with human intent, to actually do work that matters.
But I do believe that all coding will be AI-assisted.
In that future world (which for some of us is already here), what meaning does the term “vibecoding” have anymore? If all coding is AI-assisted won’t it just be referred to as… “coding”?
I believe so. And in that future that greets us, the term will sound just as quaint as “Internet dating” does today.