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Vibe Coding vs. Passive Investing: Why Software Engineers Still Have a Job

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A software engineer draws a parallel between AI-assisted 'vibe coding' and passive investing, arguing both tend to produce average rather than exceptional results. Just as passive index funds outperform most actively managed funds yet fund managers remain widely employed, AI coding tools have not displaced the majority of software engineers despite their speed and cost advantages. The author suggests that businesses needing above-average, competitive software products still require the active judgment of skilled developers, much like investors seeking market-beating returns still turn to active fund managers. This analogy offers a market-based explanation for why millions of software engineers remain employed even as AI capabilities have grown dramatically. The author concludes with cautious optimism that human involvement in software development will persist, though acknowledges the analogy's limits remain to be tested.

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