Beyond Vibe Coding

Chapter 9. The Ethical Implications of Vibe Coding

As AI-assisted development becomes increasingly commonplace, it’s critical to address the ethical and societal implications of this new paradigm. This chapter steps back from the technical details to examine vibe coding through an ethical lens: these new development methods can be effective, but they also need to be implemented responsibly and to benefit individuals and society at large.

I begin with questions of intellectual property (IP). Who owns the code that AI generates, and is it permissible to use AI outputs that may be derived from open source code without attribution? From there, I consider bias and fairness. Transparency is another focus: should developers disclose which parts of a codebase were AI-generated, and how can teams ensure accountability for code quality and bugs?

I outline responsible development practices in AI usage, from establishing transparency and accountability to avoiding sensitive data in prompts to ensuring accessibility and inclusivity. The chapter finishes with a set of guidelines for using AI tools responsibly.

Legal Disclaimer

The following section touches on complex legal topics, particularly concerning copyright and intellectual property law, from a primarily US perspective. Legal systems and interpretations are evolving worldwide, especially concerning artificial intelligence. This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with ...