OpenClaw creator says 'vibe coding' has become a slur

The creator of OpenClaw, Peter Steinberger, has expressed his discontent with the term "vibe coding," suggesting that it carries negative connotations and dismissive undertones. OpenClaw, a product of AI-driven code editors, was developed using OpenAI's Codex. Originally dubbed Clawdbot, a nod to Claude Code, the application is emblematic of a new wave in software development where AI plays a pivotal role. In a recent appearance on OpenAI's "Builders Unscripted," Steinberger voiced his concerns, stating, "There are these people that write software the old way, and the old way is going to go away. They call it 'vibe coding.' I think vibe coding is a slur." He criticized the term for suggesting that the process is effortless, emphasizing that coding with AI is a skill akin to mastering an instrument like the guitar. The sentiment around the term has sparked discussions among industry leaders. Former Google Brain scientist Andrew Ng labeled it "unfortunate" and "misleading." Meanwhile, Andrej Karpathy, the former head of AI at Tesla who originally coined the term, has shifted his perspective and now advocates for the concept of "agentic engineering" as the future of coding. Despite Steinberger's reservations, the concept of vibe coding has gained significant traction, even being named Collins Dictionary's word of the year for 2025. During the interview, Steinberger reflected on his coding practices, stating, "Most code is boring. I have a pretty good understanding of what it writes," hinting at his confidence in AI-generated outputs. Steinberger's background as a former manager has also informed his approach to AI coding. He acknowledged that leading a team of software engineers required an acceptance of diverse coding styles. Before launching OpenClaw, he was the founder of PSPDFKit and has since collaborated with various prominent AI labs, including interactions with Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, who even considered him for a position before Steinberger ultimately chose a role at OpenAI. Sam Altman has praised him as a "genius with a lot of amazing ideas about the future of very smart agents."