Google CEO Sundar Pichai thinks software development is 'exciting again' thanks to vibe coding — but developers might disagree

Google CEO Sundar Pichai claims software development has become “exciting again” since the rise of vibe coding, but some developers might disagree while bogged down in flawed code.

Speaking during a recent podcast interview, Pichai suggested the trend that’s taken the industry by storm will have positive long-term implications for both devs and non-technical individuals alike.

“It’s making coding so much more enjoyable,” he told host Logan Kilpatrick. “I feel things are getting more approachable, it’s getting exciting again, and the amazing thing is it’s only going to get better.”

Pichai noted that non-technical staff internally at the company are using AI to support workflows and finding them to be a valuable addition to the toolkit.

“There’s a sharp increase in the set of people who have submitted their first CL’s (changelists) and it’s because these tools are making it more accessible,” he said.

“Maybe you’re a product marketing person, you have an idea… in the past you would have described it. Now maybe you’re kind of vibe coding it a little bit and showing it to people, so you can tangible see that come to work.”

Pichai is the latest in a string of big tech execs to hail the potential of vibe coding over the last year. Indeed, Google Brain founder Andrew Ng specifically highlighted the democratizing effect of AI in coding earlier this month, with workers outside the software profession flocking to the tools.

“The bar to coding is now lower than it ever has been,” Ng said. “People that code, be it CEOs and marketers, recruiters, not just software engineers, will really get more done than ones that don’t.”

Developers aren’t quite sold on vibe coding

Software developers don’t appear fully sold on the use of AI for coding, however, with research showing that although there’s a growing appetite for these tools, they often create more problems than they solve.

Findings from Google’s own State of DevOps report last year, for example, revealed more than one-third (39%) of developers had little trust in AI-generated code even though they use them on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, Stack Overflow’s 2025 Developer Survey found nearly half (46%) of developers “don’t trust the accuracy” of AI outputs when used for coding tasks. This marked an increase compared to 31% of devs who aired concerns on this front in 2024.

A key factor behind this skepticism is that the “productivity gains” delivered by the technology are negated by developers having to debug faulty code.

More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents to a survey from Harness said they now spend more time debugging flawed AI-generated code compared to when they were operating in a manual capacity.

Keep security teams in the loop

Pichai did acknowledge that there are risks associated with vibe coding, particularly in terms of security – and he’s not wrong.

A study from Veracode in July this year found nearly half of code generated with AI is fully secure, while a separate survey from Cloudsmith pointed to a growing trend of complacency among developers using these tools.

The survey found only around one-third of devs review AI-generated code before deployment, leaving enterprises open to an array of potential vulnerabilities.

In the meantime, Pichai said vibe coding should typically be used in an experimental capacity, and security teams should always be involved in the process.

“I’m not working on large codebases where you need to really get it right,” he said. “The security has to be there, so those people should weigh in.”

AI tools are the worst they'll ever be

Notably, the Google chief believes this is the worst vibe coding and AI tools will ever be, pointing to examples like autonomous taxi company Waymo. Initial skepticism and concerns about safety have given way to acceptance among commuters.

With AI coding tools, the same rules apply. Continuous improvements mean the technology will become more reliable moving forward, helping cement its place in the mainstream not only for non-technical individuals but for devs working on the frontline.

“There's something I always used to tell about Waymo, and whenever people talked to me about it is, ‘remember, this is the worst Waymo will ever drive’,” he said.

“This version of all these tools…vibe coding with Gemini 3 in AI Studio, it’s both amazing to see and it’s the worst it’ll ever be. Both are simultaneously true. You’re going to see a lot of progress ahead.”

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