How Vibe Coding Is Killing Open Source: What if We Could Empower Developers Instead?

Recently, a study by respected researchers raised a red flag about "vibe coding"—the practice of relying heavily on AI chatbots to write code for us. They argue this might be quietly undermining the open source ecosystem by detaching developers from the projects they use and making new contributions harder to start.

From my vantage point working with Norwegian SMBs, this rings a bell. Small companies paying 400–600 NOK per hour for admin or 1000+ NOK per hour for specialists can’t afford to lose the rich interaction and understanding that comes from hands-on engagement with open source tools. Systems like Tripletex, Fiken, and Vipps API integrations depend on developers who truly grasp the libraries and nuances behind them—not just copy-pasting AI-generated code.

What if, instead of handing over coding tasks entirely to AI chatbots, we used those tools to augment our own development process? Imagine a scenario where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing up developers to focus on customizing and integrating solutions thoughtfully for the Norwegian market’s particularities—like GDPR compliance and tax reporting requirements.

This CAN be done by combining AI-powered code generation with low-code automation platforms like n8n, and integrating well-documented Norwegian APIs. For example, I build prototypes with React, Next.js, and Supabase, using AI APIs like Azure OpenAI or Claude to generate boilerplate code or suggest workflow automations. Then, I carefully review and tailor this output to fit the business logic and compliance demands. This approach keeps developers in the driver’s seat, ensuring quality and maintainability.

Of course, this style fits SMBs aiming for fast, "good enough" prototypes rather than large enterprises demanding custom ML models or heavy native mobile apps. It’s less helpful if you want to fully outsource development or rely solely on AI to code without oversight.

So here’s a thought: What if we balanced vibe coding with active developer involvement, preserving open source vitality while leveraging AI’s productivity boost? Could this approach protect the ecosystem and make AI a real partner instead of a crutch?

From my vantage point working with Norwegian SMBs, this rings a bell. Small companies paying 400–600 NOK per hour for admin or 1000+ NOK per hour for specialists can’t afford to lose the rich interaction and understanding that comes from hands-on engagement with open source tools. Systems like Tripletex, Fiken, and Vipps API integrations depend on developers who truly grasp the libraries and nuances behind them—not just copy-pasting AI-generated code.

What if, instead of handing over coding tasks entirely to AI chatbots, we used those tools to augment our own development process? Imagine a scenario where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing up developers to focus on customizing and integrating solutions thoughtfully for the Norwegian market’s particularities—like GDPR compliance and tax reporting requirements.

This CAN be done by combining AI-powered code generation with low-code automation platforms like n8n, and integrating well-documented Norwegian APIs. For example, I build prototypes with React, Next.js, and Supabase, using AI APIs like Azure OpenAI or Claude to generate boilerplate code or suggest workflow automations. Then, I carefully review and tailor this output to fit the business logic and compliance demands. This approach keeps developers in the driver’s seat, ensuring quality and maintainability.

Of course, this style fits SMBs aiming for fast, "good enough" prototypes rather than large enterprises demanding custom ML models or heavy native mobile apps. It’s less helpful if you want to fully outsource development or rely solely on AI to code without oversight.

So here’s a thought: What if we balanced vibe coding with active developer involvement, preserving open source vitality while leveraging AI’s productivity boost? Could this approach protect the ecosystem and make AI a real partner instead of a crutch?

Recently, a study by respected researchers raised a red flag about "vibe coding"—the practice of relying heavily on AI chatbots to write code for us. They argue this might be quietly undermining the open source ecosystem by detaching developers from the projects they use and making new contributions harder to start.

From my vantage point working with Norwegian SMBs, this rings a bell. Small companies paying 400–600 NOK per hour for admin or 1000+ NOK per hour for specialists can’t afford to lose the rich interaction and understanding that comes from hands-on engagement with open source tools. Systems like Tripletex, Fiken, and Vipps API integrations depend on developers who truly grasp the libraries and nuances behind them—not just copy-pasting AI-generated code.

What if, instead of handing over coding tasks entirely to AI chatbots, we used those tools to augment our own development process? Imagine a scenario where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing up developers to focus on customizing and integrating solutions thoughtfully for the Norwegian market’s particularities—like GDPR compliance and tax reporting requirements.

This CAN be done by combining AI-powered code generation with low-code automation platforms like n8n, and integrating well-documented Norwegian APIs. For example, I build prototypes with React, Next.js, and Supabase, using AI APIs like Azure OpenAI or Claude to generate boilerplate code or suggest workflow automations. Then, I carefully review and tailor this output to fit the business logic and compliance demands. This approach keeps developers in the driver’s seat, ensuring quality and maintainability.

Of course, this style fits SMBs aiming for fast, "good enough" prototypes rather than large enterprises demanding custom ML models or heavy native mobile apps. It’s less helpful if you want to fully outsource development or rely solely on AI to code without oversight.

So here’s a thought: What if we balanced vibe coding with active developer involvement, preserving open source vitality while leveraging AI’s productivity boost? Could this approach protect the ecosystem and make AI a real partner instead of a crutch?

Recently, a study by respected researchers raised a red flag about "vibe coding"—the practice of relying heavily on AI chatbots to write code for us. They argue this might be quietly undermining the open source ecosystem by detaching developers from the projects they use and making new contributions harder to start.

From my vantage point working with Norwegian SMBs, this rings a bell. Small companies paying 400–600 NOK per hour for admin or 1000+ NOK per hour for specialists can’t afford to lose the rich interaction and understanding that comes from hands-on engagement with open source tools. Systems like Tripletex, Fiken, and Vipps API integrations depend on developers who truly grasp the libraries and nuances behind them—not just copy-pasting AI-generated code.

What if, instead of handing over coding tasks entirely to AI chatbots, we used those tools to augment our own development process? Imagine a scenario where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing up developers to focus on customizing and integrating solutions thoughtfully for the Norwegian market’s particularities—like GDPR compliance and tax reporting requirements.

This CAN be done by combining AI-powered code generation with low-code automation platforms like n8n, and integrating well-documented Norwegian APIs. For example, I build prototypes with React, Next.js, and Supabase, using AI APIs like Azure OpenAI or Claude to generate boilerplate code or suggest workflow automations. Then, I carefully review and tailor this output to fit the business logic and compliance demands. This approach keeps developers in the driver’s seat, ensuring quality and maintainability.

Of course, this style fits SMBs aiming for fast, "good enough" prototypes rather than large enterprises demanding custom ML models or heavy native mobile apps. It’s less helpful if you want to fully outsource development or rely solely on AI to code without oversight.

So here’s a thought: What if we balanced vibe coding with active developer involvement, preserving open source vitality while leveraging AI’s productivity boost? Could this approach protect the ecosystem and make AI a real partner instead of a crutch?

Recently, a study by respected researchers raised a red flag about "vibe coding"—the practice of relying heavily on AI chatbots to write code for us. They argue this might be quietly undermining the open source ecosystem by detaching developers from the projects they use and making new contributions harder to start.

From my vantage point working with Norwegian SMBs, this rings a bell. Small companies paying 400–600 NOK per hour for admin or 1000+ NOK per hour for specialists can’t afford to lose the rich interaction and understanding that comes from hands-on engagement with open source tools. Systems like Tripletex, Fiken, and Vipps API integrations depend on developers who truly grasp the libraries and nuances behind them—not just copy-pasting AI-generated code.

What if, instead of handing over coding tasks entirely to AI chatbots, we used those tools to augment our own development process? Imagine a scenario where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing up developers to focus on customizing and integrating solutions thoughtfully for the Norwegian market’s particularities—like GDPR compliance and tax reporting requirements.

This CAN be done by combining AI-powered code generation with low-code automation platforms like n8n, and integrating well-documented Norwegian APIs. For example, I build prototypes with React, Next.js, and Supabase, using AI APIs like Azure OpenAI or Claude to generate boilerplate code or suggest workflow automations. Then, I carefully review and tailor this output to fit the business logic and compliance demands. This approach keeps developers in the driver’s seat, ensuring quality and maintainability.

Of course, this style fits SMBs aiming for fast, "good enough" prototypes rather than large enterprises demanding custom ML models or heavy native mobile apps. It’s less helpful if you want to fully outsource development or rely solely on AI to code without oversight.

So here’s a thought: What if we balanced vibe coding with active developer involvement, preserving open source vitality while leveraging AI’s productivity boost? Could this approach protect the ecosystem and make AI a real partner instead of a crutch?

Recently, a study by respected researchers raised a red flag about "vibe coding"—the practice of relying heavily on AI chatbots to write code for us. They argue this might be quietly undermining the open source ecosystem by detaching developers from the projects they use and making new contributions harder to start.

From my vantage point working with Norwegian SMBs, this rings a bell. Small companies paying 400–600 NOK per hour for admin or 1000+ NOK per hour for specialists can’t afford to lose the rich interaction and understanding that comes from hands-on engagement with open source tools. Systems like Tripletex, Fiken, and Vipps API integrations depend on developers who truly grasp the libraries and nuances behind them—not just copy-pasting AI-generated code.

What if, instead of handing over coding tasks entirely to AI chatbots, we used those tools to augment our own development process? Imagine a scenario where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing up developers to focus on customizing and integrating solutions thoughtfully for the Norwegian market’s particularities—like GDPR compliance and tax reporting requirements.

This CAN be done by combining AI-powered code generation with low-code automation platforms like n8n, and integrating well-documented Norwegian APIs. For example, I build prototypes with React, Next.js, and Supabase, using AI APIs like Azure OpenAI or Claude to generate boilerplate code or suggest workflow automations. Then, I carefully review and tailor this output to fit the business logic and compliance demands. This approach keeps developers in the driver’s seat, ensuring quality and maintainability.

Of course, this style fits SMBs aiming for fast, "good enough" prototypes rather than large enterprises demanding custom ML models or heavy native mobile apps. It’s less helpful if you want to fully outsource development or rely solely on AI to code without oversight.

So here’s a thought: What if we balanced vibe coding with active developer involvement, preserving open source vitality while leveraging AI’s productivity boost? Could this approach protect the ecosystem and make AI a real partner instead of a crutch?

Recently, a study by respected researchers raised a red flag about "vibe coding"—the practice of relying heavily on AI chatbots to write code for us. They argue this might be quietly undermining the open source ecosystem by detaching developers from the projects they use and making new contributions harder to start.

From my vantage point working with Norwegian SMBs, this rings a bell. Small companies paying 400–600 NOK per hour for admin or 1000+ NOK per hour for specialists can’t afford to lose the rich interaction and understanding that comes from hands-on engagement with open source tools. Systems like Tripletex, Fiken, and Vipps API integrations depend on developers who truly grasp the libraries and nuances behind them—not just copy-pasting AI-generated code.

What if, instead of handing over coding tasks entirely to AI chatbots, we used those tools to augment our own development process? Imagine a scenario where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing up developers to focus on customizing and integrating solutions thoughtfully for the Norwegian market’s particularities—like GDPR compliance and tax reporting requirements.

This CAN be done by combining AI-powered code generation with low-code automation platforms like n8n, and integrating well-documented Norwegian APIs. For example, I build prototypes with React, Next.js, and Supabase, using AI APIs like Azure OpenAI or Claude to generate boilerplate code or suggest workflow automations. Then, I carefully review and tailor this output to fit the business logic and compliance demands. This approach keeps developers in the driver’s seat, ensuring quality and maintainability.

Of course, this style fits SMBs aiming for fast, "good enough" prototypes rather than large enterprises demanding custom ML models or heavy native mobile apps. It’s less helpful if you want to fully outsource development or rely solely on AI to code without oversight.

So here’s a thought: What if we balanced vibe coding with active developer involvement, preserving open source vitality while leveraging AI’s productivity boost? Could this approach protect the ecosystem and make AI a real partner instead of a crutch?

For more on this perspective, see "We Mourn Our Craft: What if AI Could Empower Norwegian SMBs Instead?".