Paul Ford writes about vibe coding for the NYT (gift link) and what happens when software suddenly becomes cheap and fast to ship:
There are many arguments against vibe coding through A.I. It is an ecological disaster, with data centers consuming billions of gallons of water for cooling each year; it can generate bad, insecure code; it creates cookie-cutter apps instead of real, thoughtful solutions; the real value is in people, not software. All of these are true and valid. But I’ve been around too long. The web wasn’t “real” software until it was. Blogging wasn’t publishing. Big, serious companies weren’t going to migrate to the cloud, and then one day they did.
And then he brings it home in a way that continues to make him one of my favorite web writers:
The simple truth is that I am less valuable than I used to be. It stings to be made obsolete, but it’s fun to code on the train, too. And if this technology keeps improving, then everyone who tells me how hard it is to make a report, place an order, upgrade an app or update a record — they could get the software they deserve, too. That might be a good trade, long term.
We can grieve what we lost, while also being optimistic about the future AI is unlocking for all of us. It’s uncomfortable, but that’s ok, all technological shifts are.