HCMC – “Vibe Coding” – a concept that is not new but is being powerfully reborn thanks to the explosion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – is rapidly becoming a trend embraced by Vietnamese programmers and tech companies as a breakthrough software development methodology.

From “Intuitive” to “AI Symbiosis”: The New Essence of Vibe Coding

If in the past, “vibe coding” often implied writing code based on intuition and lacking standards, in the AI era, it has been redefined. It now describes a programming style where humans act as the “chief architect,” using natural language to describe ideas and functional requirements, while AI takes on the role of the “builder” to generate and edit source code. The focus shifts from writing each line of code to providing instructions, testing, and evaluating the overall quality of the product.

Outstanding Efficiency: Dramatically Accelerated Development Speed

Mr. Hoang Long, a programmer at a technology corporation in HCMC, is one of the early adopters of this trend. He shared: “Instead of typing each line of code, flexibly using tools like Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT has helped me cut 50-70% of the time needed to complete tasks. Personal projects like games or small applications can now be done in a ‘code-and-run’ manner, significantly speeding up the time to launch on app stores.”

The benefits are not limited to individuals; businesses also report clear advantages. Mr. Phan Duc Thang, Co-founder and CTO of Universal Techlab (Da Nang), said that after a few months of integrating Vibe Coding into their workflow, the company’s product development speed increased by 30-50%. AI is applied throughout the project lifecycle, from brainstorming and technology research to completion and operation.

The Flip Side of the Coin: Challenges in Security and Quality

However, the excitement comes with cautious warnings. Mr. Thang pointed out that the biggest risk lies in security and validation. “Some AI models may collect input data, posing a potential risk of project information or proprietary source code leakage. Therefore, we are forced to tighten our testing processes to ensure legal safety,” he emphasized.

Vibe Coding is Not Just a Tool, But a Team Member

Mr. Nguyen Duc Hoai, Co-founder and CEO of Bizino, offered an analogy: “If traditional no-code platforms are like playing with pre-made Lego blocks, then Vibe Coding is like you becoming the general commander of a construction site with an army of ultra-fast robotic builders. You don’t need to lay each brick yourself; you just need to stand and give commands, for example, ‘build a wall for me here,’ and the AI will do it.”

According to Mr. Hoai, Vibe Coding is transcending the scope of a support tool to become a “virtual staff member” present in many businesses, including non-tech companies.

The Future: Empowering Creativity for Billions

A report by Vinasa (2024) indicates that Vietnamese companies spend 40-60% of their development time solely on prototyping and testing – a figure that Mr. Andrew Pham, Founder of Luna Base AI, calls “insane.” Vibe Coding is expected to thoroughly optimize this stage.

According to Mr. Andrew, Vibe Coding does not turn an ordinary person into a software engineer, but it empowers professionals in all fields to solve their own problems. “A doctor could create an automated appointment scheduling system for his clinic without knowing how to code. The AI will handle the technical part, while they provide the domain expertise. The future is not 8 billion programmers, but 8 billion people with the ability to create their own software tools using AI when needed,” Mr. Andrew stated.

Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Le Duy Tan, Co-founder of the AIoT Lab VN at Vietnam National University – HCMC International University, emphasized the “gap-bridging” role of Vibe Coding. “This is a golden opportunity for startups with limited resources. They can quickly build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to test the market with minimal cost. If the idea fails, they can stop without significant waste. If it succeeds, they will have a basis to invest in a more in-depth system,” Dr. Tan analyzed.

Clearly, Vibe Coding is opening a new chapter for Vietnam’s software industry, where speed, creativity, and adaptability are prioritized, while simultaneously expanding the frontier of “programming” beyond the realm of pure code.

[Source: Compiled from various sources]