This is very wrong: Ruby on Rails maker responds after C++ creator calls AI coding idiotic

C++ creator Bjarne Stroustrup has criticised AI-written code and called vibe coding "idiotic", warning that AI-generated code can be bloated, buggy and difficult to verify.C++ creator Bjarne Stroustrup has criticised the growing use of AI to write code.Bjarne Stroustrup, the programmer who created C++ back in 1979, has some strong opinions about AI-written code, or what is popularly known as vibe coding. Speaking on The Peterman Podcast, Stroustrup called the idea of using plain English as a programming language "idiotic." According to him, people still need to write code, and they still need abstraction, the layers of structure that keep software organised, and typing a prompt into a chatbot doesn't replace that.He seems quite blunt when it comes to code written by AI. He says it's bloated, buggy, and full of security holes, and that it's genuinely hard to check. That checking, he argues, is exactly why the problem is getting worse: senior developers are the ones who'd normally validate AI-written code, and he says some of them are choosing to retire instead. Not because they're tired of programming, but because they're tired of re-verifying code that changes every time someone adjusts a prompt.Stroustrup did leave some room for AI. He figures it's probably fine for the 70 or 80 per cent of code that isn't safety-critical or performance-critical, everyday, low-stakes stuff. But the remaining 10 or 20 per cent, where mistakes actually matter, is the part he cares about most, and where he thinks AI still isn't good enough.Ruby on Rails creator respondsDavid Heinemeier Hansson, creator of Ruby on Rails, responded and said he thinks Stroustrup is wrong here, while adding that he still respects him and his work. He replied on X, “I built 3 apps for Omarchy Quattro in C++ and never looked at a line of the code!”The exchange comes as more companies push employees toward AI coding tools, in some cases while cutting engineering jobs. Whether Stroustrup's predictions hold up may depend on how much of that remaining 20 percent, the code where errors are costly, companies are willing to hand over to AI, and whether enough experienced engineers stick around to keep checking it.- EndsPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 15:59 IST