Coined by OpenAI founding engineer Andrej Karpathy, the term first appeared in February
The phrase reflects an emerging trend in software development, where computer programmers ask AI to complete tasks for them – often leading to faulty or messy code.
When deciding the word of the year, lexicographers at Collins monitor a massive amount of information, including social media, to create a list of words and phrases that have recently entered our lexicon.
Coined by OpenAI founding engineer Andrej Karpathy, the term vibe coding first appeared in February and rapidly increased in usage throughout the year.
Collins picked it above other emerging phrases like “biohacking”, a trend amongst the mega-rich, where people attempt to alter the body to improve their health and increase lifespan.
“Clanker”, a fictional slur directed at robots and AI, also appeared on the list after a rise in usage, reflecting a general dislike of the emerging technology among young people online.
“Glaze” and “Aura farming”, terms popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, also appeared on the list.
Collins also noted a rise in the use of the term “Henry” – an acronym for “high earner, not rich yet.”
“Micro-retirement”, a break between two periods of employment, also appeared high up on the list.
Alex Beecroft, the managing director of Collins, said: “The selection of vibe coding as Collins’ word of the year perfectly captures how language is evolving alongside technology. It signals a major shift in software development, where AI is making coding more accessible.
“The seamless integration of human creativity and machine intelligence demonstrates how natural language is fundamentally changing our interaction with computers.”
