Everyone's vibe coding - Today, Explained Recap

Podcast: Today, Explained

Published: 2026-03-19

Duration: 26 min

Guests: Lauren Goode, Clive Thompson

What Happened

Sean Ramistrom starts by expressing his concerns about AI potentially replacing jobs, including his own. He mentions that The Washington Post has launched an AI-generated news podcast but notes that it makes factual errors, which is reassuring for his job security. However, the podcast discusses how AI is already replacing roles such as web developers due to the rise of 'vibe coding,' a method where code is written through conversational input to AI models.

Lauren Goode, a senior correspondent at Wired, joins the conversation to discuss the implications of vibe coding, where users simply describe what they want to an AI, and it attempts to build it. Sean and Lauren experiment with creating a website called 'Your Job Explained' that determines if a job has been replaced by AI. They input 'journalist' as a job title and receive a concerning result indicating a high risk of replacement by 2028, suggesting a pivot to investigative work as a mitigation strategy.

Vibe coding has taken the software industry by storm, with tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI offering services. Lauren explains that vibe coding allows users to iterate on designs without needing traditional coding skills. Yet, there is debate over whether foundational coding knowledge is still necessary. She notes that vibe coding is particularly transformative for small startups and entrepreneurs who can now code more efficiently and test multiple ideas quickly.

Clive Thompson, author of 'Coders,' provides insights into how vibe coding is being used in Silicon Valley. He describes how developers use multiple AI agents to perform tasks, sometimes needing to reprimand the AI for better results. This allows for rapid experimentation and creation of software that would otherwise take significantly longer to develop manually.

Clive also highlights the risks associated with vibe coding, such as technical debt and security issues. He mentions the emergence of AI agents known as CLAWS that run locally on machines but require access to sensitive information, posing security risks. Additionally, websites created through vibe coding might lack adequate security measures, potentially putting user data at risk.

Despite these challenges, many developers find vibe coding to be a thrilling experience, allowing for rapid prototyping and experimentation. The technology has not only increased productivity but also opened up new possibilities for custom software solutions in areas that were previously untapped. However, there is also concern over the ethical and labor implications of AI, as it could lead to job displacement and de-skilling in the industry.

Key Insights