A great code bloat is arising as AI turns managers into software programmers

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The democratization of programming has arrived—as an artificial intelligence (AI) model prompt. The ability to command a machine was a specialized art, restricted to a class of engineers fluent in cryptic computer languages. No longer.

Natural language is now executable. In boardrooms, realization has dawned that natural language can now program computers. Anthropic’s Claude has emerged as the darling of the non-technical professional, praised for its ability to transform a vague business requirement into a functional application.

The executive who once waited months for a dashboard can now conjure one in an afternoon. This shift expands human agency. It also introduces a new category of risk.

I recently watched a chief operating officer with a terrifyingly efficient grasp of logistics and a newfound affection for AI models build a global inventory tracker in an afternoon. It was a masterpiece of ‘vibe coding.’ It looked and felt right. To her, it was a triumph over the company’s stodgy information technology department.

Monkey see, monkey do; and so, her colleagues are following. The sales boss has started assembling a client portal. Soon, the organization will have multiple new systems that solve immediate problems while quietly refusing to acknowledge each other’s existence.

Such tools, while functional, are digital black boxes. It is the software equivalent of a modern mansion with the wiring done by an enthusiastic poltergeist. The lights come on when you enter, but don’t you dare touch the walls.