Industry Leader Critiques ‘Vibe Coding’ Terminology
OpenClaw’s architect, Peter Steinberger, articulated a metaphor comparing AI coding to mastering the guitar.
- Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw, denounced the term ‘vibe-coding’ as a pejorative that trivializes AI-assisted programming.
- In a discussion on OpenAI’s podcast, Steinberger likened the use of AI code editors to the learning process involved in playing the guitar.
- Having refined his expertise, Steinberger now transmits AI-generated code without prior examination, asserting, “Most code is mundane.”
Steinberger expressed strong discontent regarding the implications of “vibe coding,” criticizing its condescending undertones.
The widely used tool OpenClaw emerged from the capabilities of AI code editors. Its visionary, Peter Steinberger, leveraged OpenAI’s Codex platform for its development. Originally dubbed Clawdbot, the name alluded to Claude Code.
A designation, known as vibe coding, has emerged to define this modality of work, wherein one prompts AI to generate code. During a segment on OpenAI’s “Builders Unscripted,” Steinberger voiced his reservations regarding the terminology.
“There are traditionalists who write software in conventional ways, which will soon become obsolete,” Steinberger observed. “They label it as ‘vibe coding,’ but I perceive vibe coding as a derogatory term.”
The crux of his objection lies in its insinuation of simplicity.
“Such individuals fail to grasp that coding is a skill,” he said, analogizing the integration of AI in coding to mastering guitar.
Other executives in the tech sector have echoed similar frustrations. Andrew Ng, a prominent figure from Google Brain, labeled it as “unfortunate” and “misleading.” Furthermore, Andrej Karpathy, the ex-Tesla AI lead who coined the term, has pivoted towards advocating for “agentic engineering” as the prospective evolution.
Although Steinberger remains critical of the term, its prevalence soared throughout 2025, culminating in it being named Collins Dictionary’s word of the year.
If coding via AI is akin to mastering guitar chords, then Steinberger has certainly mastered his craft. During an interview with OpenAI’s Romain Huet, he affirmed his ability to deliver code without scrutiny.
“Most code is monotonous,” Steinberger remarked. “I possess a solid comprehension of its outputs.”
A pivotal experience that bolstered Steinberger’s prowess in AI coding was his prior role as a manager.
“Having led a team before,” he elaborated, “I had many software engineers under my guidance, necessitating acceptance that their code wouldn’t mirror my preferences precisely.”
Before launching OpenClaw, Steinberger founded PSPDFKit. He has engaged with numerous prominent AI institutions, notably receiving inquiries from Anthropic to rename his chatbot.
Moreover, Mark Zuckerberg from Meta shared his insights after testing OpenClaw, Steinberger stated.
Zuckerberg even indicated interest in recruiting him, but Steinberger opted for OpenAI, accepting a job offer earlier this month. Sam Altman praised him as a “visionary bursting with innovative proposals for the future of intelligent agents.”
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