Vibe-coding has officially entered the English language, earning a spot in Collins Dictionary as its 2025 Word of the Year. The term, once a niche concept in tech circles, has rapidly evolved into a mainstream phenomenon, reflecting the profound impact of artificial intelligence on software development. The phrase was coined in February by Andrej Karpathy, co-founder of OpenAI and former AI director at Tesla, in a post on X. He described vibe-coding as “a new kind of coding” where developers “fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists.” He credited the rise of advanced large language models—such as Cursor with Sonnet—for making this approach possible, noting that AI has become so proficient at generating and understanding code that human developers can now focus on intuition and vision rather than syntax. Now, Collins Dictionary defines vibe-coding as a slang noun meaning “the use of artificial intelligence prompted by natural language to assist with the writing of computer code.” The inclusion marks a significant cultural shift, as the term has moved from a playful internet expression to a recognized practice in both professional and educational settings. Vibe-coding has become a standard workflow for developers across industries, from startups to major tech firms. It enables rapid prototyping, concept testing, and full application development with minimal manual coding, empowering both seasoned engineers and beginners to build faster and more creatively. The trend has also attracted massive investment. Lovable, a company founded in 2023, raised $200 million in a Series A round at a $1.8 billion valuation, led by Accel. In September, Replit secured $250 million at a $3 billion valuation, backed by Prysm Capital. Vercel followed with a $300 million funding round at a $9.3 billion valuation, also led by Accel. These investments underscore the growing belief that AI-driven coding tools are not just a passing fad, but a foundational shift in how software is created. As AI continues to reshape the tech landscape, vibe-coding stands as a symbol of a new era—one where human creativity and machine intelligence collaborate in real time, redefining what it means to be a developer.