AI coding tools are revolutionizing how CEOs and business leaders develop and test ideas, with a growing trend called “vibe coding” enabling non-technical executives to create working prototypes without relying on engineering teams. According to Amjad Masad, CEO of AI coding startup Replit, speaking on the “Possible” podcast, executives are increasingly showing up to meetings with functional prototypes they’ve built themselves using AI-powered coding assistants.
Masad explains that vibe coding is giving leaders “a new kind of agency” after years of feeling “disempowered because they’ve delegated a lot of things.” The CEO notes that many executives previously lacked direct input on technical processes, but AI coding tools are changing this dynamic dramatically. “We have CEOs that finally feel unleashed,” Masad said. “They don’t have to go beg someone to do it. They can, like, just vibe code and bring it into a meeting.”
The impact extends beyond just speed—it’s fundamentally changing how leaders communicate their vision. A rough prototype allows executives to ask pointed questions like: Why should this take weeks to build if a version can be done in a few days? Masad argues that much of traditional coding is weighed down by “minutiae” and “accidental complexity”—technical details that matter to machines but add little value to people shaping products or strategy.
Interestingly, some of the most effective vibe coders aren’t engineers at all. Masad identifies product managers as “some of the best vibe coders” because they’re trained to break problems into clear steps and communicate them precisely—skills that translate perfectly to working with AI coding assistants.
Prominent tech CEOs have publicly embraced this trend. Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski revealed on the “Sourcery” podcast that he uses AI coding tools like Cursor to prototype ideas independently, despite lacking a technical background. “Rather than disturbing my poor engineers and product people with what is half good ideas and half bad ideas, now I test it myself,” he explained.
Even Google CEO Sundar Pichai has joined the vibe coding movement, stating in June at Bloomberg Tech that he’s been “messing around” with Cursor and Replit to build custom webpages. “It feels so delightful to be a coder in this moment,” Pichai said, highlighting the democratizing effect of AI coding tools on software development.
Key Quotes
We have CEOs that finally feel unleashed. They don’t have to go beg someone to do it. They can, like, just vibe code and bring it into a meeting.
Replit CEO Amjad Masad describes how AI coding tools are empowering executives who previously felt disempowered by having to delegate technical work. This quote captures the transformative impact of AI tools on executive agency and decision-making processes.
Rather than disturbing my poor engineers and product people with what is half good ideas and half bad ideas, now I test it myself. I come say, ‘Look, I’ve actually made this work, this is how it works, what do you think, could we do it this way?’
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski, who lacks a technical background, explains how AI coding tools like Cursor allow him to validate ideas before involving his team. This demonstrates how vibe coding is changing the dynamics between executives and engineering teams.
It feels so delightful to be a coder in this moment.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai shared this sentiment after experimenting with vibe coding using Cursor and Replit to build custom webpages. Coming from one of tech’s most prominent leaders, this endorsement highlights the accessibility and appeal of AI coding tools even for those with existing technical knowledge.
We want to get to a point where you don’t have to code at all. You should be in a creative space.
Amjad Masad articulates Replit’s vision for the future of software development, where AI handles technical complexity and allows users to focus on creative problem-solving. This represents the ultimate goal of AI coding assistants—making programming accessible to anyone with ideas.
Our Take
The vibe coding phenomenon reveals something profound about AI’s near-term impact: it’s not replacing workers as much as redistributing technical capabilities across organizational hierarchies. When Google’s CEO feels “delightful” coding again, it signals that AI tools are lowering barriers in ways that could fundamentally reshape corporate innovation processes. However, there’s a potential blind spot here—prototypes built by non-technical executives may introduce technical debt or overlook scalability concerns that experienced engineers would catch. The enthusiasm is warranted, but sustainable success will require balancing executive empowerment with engineering expertise. What’s particularly notable is that product managers are excelling at vibe coding, suggesting that clear thinking and problem decomposition matter more than technical knowledge when working with AI assistants. This could accelerate the shift toward AI as a collaborative tool that amplifies human intent rather than simply automating existing workflows.
Why This Matters
This trend represents a fundamental shift in how businesses operate and make technical decisions. When CEOs can prototype their own ideas using AI coding tools, it eliminates communication barriers between business vision and technical execution, potentially accelerating innovation cycles across industries. The democratization of coding through AI tools is breaking down traditional hierarchies where technical knowledge was gatekept by engineering teams.
For the AI industry, this validates the practical value proposition of AI coding assistants beyond just developer productivity—they’re empowering an entirely new user base of business leaders and non-technical professionals. This expansion of the addressable market could drive significant growth for companies like Replit, Cursor, and other AI coding platforms.
The broader implications extend to organizational dynamics and workforce structures. As executives gain technical agency, it may reshape how companies allocate resources, prioritize projects, and structure teams. However, it also raises questions about the evolving role of engineers and whether this trend could lead to tension between leadership and technical teams over project feasibility and technical debt.