Sridhar Vembu Pushes ‘ACE’ Over Vibe Coding Amid AI Job Anxiety
Zoho cofounder Sridhar Vembu urges engineers to adopt AI-assisted Code Engineering to boost productivity without risking long-term job security.
As artificial intelligence continues to transform software development, Zoho cofounder Sridhar Vembu has weighed in on one of the industry’s most debated trends — “vibe coding.” While AI-powered tools are increasingly capable of generating massive volumes of code through simple prompts, Vembu believes this approach oversimplifies software engineering and could have unintended consequences for jobs.
Instead of vibe coding, Vembu has proposed a more disciplined alternative that keeps engineers firmly at the center of the development process. He calls it “AI-assisted Code Engineering,” or ACE.
Taking to X, Vembu explained his thinking clearly, writing, “I suggest the term ‘AI-assisted Code Engineering' with ACE as the acronym instead of ‘vibe-coding.’” His message comes at a time when fears of AI-driven job displacement are growing, particularly in the technology sector, which has already seen waves of layoffs globally.
Vibe coding — a term coined by OpenAI cofounder Andrej Karpathy — refers to a workflow where developers rely heavily on natural language prompts to instruct AI coding assistants. Tools such as Cursor, Windsurf, and Codex-based platforms can now produce thousands, and sometimes millions, of lines of code with minimal human input. Even Google CEO Sundar Pichai has acknowledged that this AI-led style of development represents the future.
However, Vembu is concerned that excessive reliance on AI-generated code could erode core engineering skills over time. According to him, software development is not just about writing code quickly, but about understanding deeper layers such as abstraction, optimisation, and compilation — areas where human expertise remains critical.
Explaining why ACE matters, Vembu wrote, “We must have solid engineering discipline, and ACE is the maturation of the tools and techniques.” In his view, AI should enhance an engineer’s capabilities rather than replace the need for deep technical understanding.
Importantly, Vembu has sought to reassure engineers worried about job losses. He argues that ACE is not about eliminating roles, but about amplifying the impact of skilled professionals. As he put it, “[ACE] does not eliminate all software engineers but enables experienced engineers who ACE well to be much more productive.”
This distinction is crucial in the current climate. While AI tools promise efficiency and speed, there is growing concern that unchecked automation could shrink opportunities for human developers, particularly at entry and mid-levels. Vembu’s approach suggests a middle path — one where AI is treated as an advanced assistant rather than an autonomous coder.
The Zoho cofounder also hinted that the shift toward ACE could have far-reaching implications beyond individual productivity. He noted, “It is also going to reshape our industry but that is a separate topic.” Though he did not elaborate further, the statement suggests a broader transformation in how software teams are structured, trained, and evaluated.
Vembu has previously questioned whether vibe coding truly captures the complexity of software engineering. His renewed emphasis on ACE reinforces his belief that while AI interfaces may evolve, the foundational principles of computer science will continue to matter.
As AI becomes more embedded in daily development workflows, Vembu’s message serves as a reminder: the future of coding may be assisted by machines, but it still depends on human judgment, discipline, and expertise.
