The pace of AI is wild. Every day, there’s a new tool, a new breakthrough, a new trend. It’s exciting—but it’s also chaotic. And as someone creating content in this space, I’ve started to notice a real tension:
- On one side, experienced developers—people who’ve spent years honing their skills—are starting to feel ignored, undervalued, or even replaced.
- On the other, a new wave of “vibe coders”—creative, curious beginners using AI to build things fast, without necessarily understanding what’s under the hood—are showing up in force.
As someone who’s been right in the middle of this shift—making YouTube videos like Is This the Future of WordPress? and How I Built 10 AI Apps in a Week, getting quoted in ZDNet about vibe coding, and featured in this Envato Elements article on AI and creativity—I’ve seen both sides of the conversation.
So here’s the question I keep coming back to:
How do we create content that empowers these new AI-powered builders—without alienating the developers who made all of this possible in the first place?
Because if we get the tone wrong, we risk losing trust from both groups. But if we get it right, we can help shape a more thoughtful, inclusive, and exciting future for code.
The Rise of the Vibe Coder
Let’s start with what’s happening.
AI is opening the doors to a new kind of builder—people who don’t know how to code in the traditional sense, but who are now creating websites, apps, automations, and plugins by prompting AI, copying snippets, and “vibing” their way toward working prototypes.
It’s rough around the edges, but it’s real. And it’s powerful.
These new coders are driven by curiosity. They’re not bogged down by best practices or industry norms. They just want to make cool stuff. And with AI, they can.
The Developer Dilemma
But while this is happening, many experienced developers are looking on with a mix of amazement and anxiety.
They’ve spent years mastering not just languages, but problem-solving. Architecture. Accessibility. Security. Thinking long-term.
When people start treating AI as a shortcut to “becoming a developer,” it can feel reductive—or even disrespectful.
It’s not just about job security. It’s about recognition. Developers know how complex this work really is. And when content skips over that complexity, it sends the wrong message: that coding is just about writing code.
Why This Matters for Content Creators
If you’re making tutorials, educational content, or tooling in this space, you’re walking a tightrope.
Go too hard on the “anyone can build anything” message, and you risk losing credibility with the dev community. But gatekeep too much, and you risk intimidating or discouraging beginners who are genuinely excited to learn.
This isn’t just a technical problem—it’s a tone problem. A trust problem. A community problem.
So, What Do We Do?
Here are some principles I try to follow in my own content to strike the right balance:
1. Respect the Craft
Always acknowledge what AI isn’t doing. It’s not testing for edge cases. It’s not writing scalable systems. It’s not thinking about maintainability. These are things devs do—and we should highlight and respect that.
2. Celebrate Curiosity
Vibe coders aren’t pretending to be experts. They’re exploring. And that curiosity is something we should nurture, not dismiss. Everyone starts somewhere.
3. Teach the Why Behind the Vibe
If AI gives you some code, don’t just run it—question it. Explain it. Highlight what’s good, what’s risky, what’s missing. Turn every copy-paste moment into a learning opportunity.
4. Involve Developers in the Narrative
Bring devs into the conversation. Make them visible. Invite them to review, explain, and add depth. Let beginners see that experienced developers aren’t gatekeepers—they’re guides.
5. Avoid Binary Framing
It’s not “AI vs developers.” It’s “AI + developers + beginners.” We need all three. The future isn’t one or the other—it’s everyone moving faster, together.
Conclusion: Guidekeeping Over Gatekeeping
AI is reshaping how we build things. It’s messy. It’s fast. It’s full of opportunity.
But the way we talk about it matters.
We can’t afford to alienate the people with deep expertise. And we shouldn’t discourage the ones who are just starting out.
As creators, we’re not just explaining what AI can do—we’re shaping how people think about it. We’re not gatekeepers. But we are guidekeepers.
Let’s use that role wisely.
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