Big Technology Podcast: Vibe Coding Exhaustively Explored with Amjad Massad

Episode: Vibe Coding: Everything You Need To Know — With Amjad Masad
Host: Alex Kantrowitz
Release Date: August 6, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of the Big Technology Podcast, host Alex Kantrowitz delves deep into the world of Vibe Coding and AI Coding with Amjad Massad, the CEO of Replit. Recorded at Replit's headquarters in Foster City, the conversation explores how these emerging technologies are reshaping software development, empowering entrepreneurs, and influencing the broader tech ecosystem.

Understanding Vibe Coding and AI Coding

Vibe Coding refers to the process where users input prompts, and AI systems autonomously generate complete software applications. AI Coding, on the other hand, involves AI-assisted code completion and enhancement, serving as an advanced autocomplete tool for developers.

Alex Kantrowitz raises an essential question early in the discussion:

[00:15] Alex Kantrowitz: "I have the stat here that Replit has multiplied by its revenue by 10x in less than 6 months to 100 million in annual recurring revenue. Is that growth Vibe coding or is that growth AI coding?"

Amjad Massad clarifies:

[17:04] Amjad Massad: "Vibe coding, really? Yeah."

Key Use Cases of Vibe Coding

Amjad outlines three primary use cases where Vibe Coding is making significant strides:

1. Personal and Family Life Applications

   • Health Tracking: Apps that integrate data from devices like Fitbits to monitor sleep and health metrics.
   • Educational Tools: Applications designed to help children learn math or reading.
   • Family Management: Tools like chore trackers that gamify household responsibilities.

   [01:13] Amjad Massad: "There's a class of personal software...for the first time now, anyone can make software."

2. Entrepreneurial Ventures

   • Individuals with domain expertise, such as an Uber driver with logistics knowledge, can develop tailored software without traditional coding skills.
   • Startups using Vibe Coding to launch products rapidly, achieving multi-million dollar revenue run rates swiftly.

   [07:31] Amjad Massad: "We've had startups start on Replit with multi-million dollar revenue run rates...from small entrepreneurs to startup venture scale entrepreneurs."

3. Internal Tools for Companies

   • Businesses building bespoke solutions to replace expensive SaaS tools.
   • Example: Replit's HR department developed a customized org chart tool in three days, saving significant costs.

   [08:16] Amjad Massad: "Operations type use cases tend to be deployed running in production."

The Impact on the Software Industry and Jobs

Alex probes whether the rise of Vibe Coding indicates unmet needs in the software industry or if these use cases are non-economic:

[02:45] Alex Kantrowitz: "Does this say something about the software industry?...if people build things for their family, can they serve the mass market and turn it into a business?"

Amjad responds affirmatively, emphasizing the untapped market potential:

[03:05] Amjad Massad: "It is certainly... there's definitely a market there and you can certainly make a lot of money from that."

Discussion on Job Security:

• Amjad believes that while Vibe Coding democratizes software creation, professional engineers remain indispensable for creating precise, low-level, and mission-critical systems.
• The productivity of developers is enhanced, allowing them to leverage AI tools more effectively.

[23:58] Alex: "Listened to your talk...companies might be able to run themselves without engineers."

[21:59] Amjad Massad: "My point is that entrepreneurs can start businesses without needing engineers...but for venture-scale companies, you still need to hire engineers."

Technical Challenges and User Adoption

Alex shares his personal experience attempting to use Replit for a simple project, highlighting the technical grit required:

[10:22] Alex Kantrowitz: "I spent about an hour on it...it still seems... if you're technical, you want to make a prototype."

Amjad explains the inherent randomness in machine learning models and the necessity for persistence:

[10:55] Amjad Massad: "The same prompts can put you on a path of success based on randomness... it requires grit."

Replit's Growth and Business Model Adjustments

The conversation shifts to Replit's impressive revenue growth driven primarily by Vibe Coding:

[17:04] Amjad Massad: "Vibe coding, really? Yeah."

Effort-Based Pricing:

• Replit transitioned from a per-tool-call pricing to an effort-based model, aligning user costs with operational expenses.
• This shift resulted in initial sticker shock among users but ultimately established sustainable business fundamentals.

[33:53] Alex: "We give free users $3. So you work for an hour on $3."

[33:54] Amjad Massad: "Yes. It's cheaper than a developer for sure."

The Emergence of Chinese AI Models

Amjad discusses the rise of Chinese AI models like Deep Seq and Kimik K2, highlighting their rapid advancements and competitive pricing:

[40:48] Amjad Massad: "There were some fundamental innovations from the Deep Seq models that weren't known in the West."

Impact on the Market:

• These models are achieving performance parity with Western counterparts, often at a fraction of the cost.
• This development poses challenges for Western AI services in maintaining competitive pricing without compromising quality.

[44:05] Amjad Massad: "Kimik2... competitive with Sonnet."

Philosophical and Societal Implications

The latter part of the episode veers into broader philosophical discussions:

1. Intelligence Explosion and AGI:

   • Debates whether AI coding can accelerate the development of the next generation of models.
   • Amjad expresses skepticism about AI's ability to significantly impact AI research speed.

   [53:16] Amjad Massad: "I don't think it's going to have anything more than marginal improvement on speed to the next model."

2. AI in Human Relationships:

   • The rise of AI love bots raises concerns about societal impacts, including declining fertility rates and economic instability.
   • Amjad warns against the potential for AI to supplant essential human interactions and relationships.

   [59:14] Amjad Massad: "Anything that takes away from [human relationships], especially given the fertility rate is so low... will lead to massive problems."

3. Control and Governance of AGI:

   • Debates who should control AGI—Silicon Valley or other global entities.
   • Amjad advocates for competitive market dynamics over monopolistic control to prevent societal and ethical disasters.

   [56:37] Amjad Massad: "If you have a super intelligent monolith controlled by a single company or human, it's fundamentally really bad."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a nuanced perspective on the future of software development and AI:

• Vibe Coding is positioned as a transformative tool democratizing software creation, fostering entrepreneurship, and enabling tailored solutions across various domains.
• Despite its potential, the technology requires perseverance and a certain level of technical understanding to harness effectively.
• The emergence of competitive AI models globally underscores the dynamic and evolving nature of the AI landscape.
• Societal and philosophical challenges accompany these technological advancements, necessitating thoughtful discourse and proactive governance.

[64:37] Alex Kantrowitz: "Amjad, great to see you. Thanks so much for coming on the show."

[64:37] Amjad Massad: "My pleasure."

Notable Quotes:

• "I would suggest to people that don't go into this thinking you can just have prompt and have an application pop up at the other end. I would say at least set an afternoon to give it some good effort and try to get like your first app in."
  — Amjad Massad [11:04]

• "It's cheaper than a developer for sure."
  — Amjad Massad [33:55]

• "Anything that takes away from [human relationships], especially given the fertility rate is so low... will lead to massive problems."
  — Amjad Massad [59:14]

This comprehensive discussion underscores the transformative potential of Vibe Coding and AI Coding while addressing the accompanying economic, technical, and societal implications. For entrepreneurs, developers, and tech enthusiasts, understanding these dynamics is crucial as we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and software development.