There are many time-consuming, boring, or frustrating activities at work, especially while using a computer. I used to spend hours on pointless tasks like tidying up someone else’s disorganized spreadsheet.
I now create programs that manage these chores using artificial intelligence. One effective way AI might increase productivity and lessen workplace annoyances is through what some refer to as “vibe coding.”
AI will handle all of the programming and even provide you with guidance, so you do not need any prior programming knowledge. A simple prompt like “Write a script that adds YYYY-MM-DD to the beginning of every file name in a folder, based on when it was generated” can be used to create a script, which is a mini-program.
To begin vibe coding, all you need is a general-purpose AI platform such as Gemini or ChatGPT. The AI creates the code after you tell it the problem you want to solve or the tool you need during a typical chat session. (You will learn more about what you do with that code later.) You can use a script you have written to fix your problem whenever you need it.
Vibe coding tools like Claude Code, which have much more features and capabilities, may be familiar to you. However, it is better for most individuals to start with basic scripts that you can copy, save, and execute on your own.
Though it may seem daunting, vibe coding is rapidly becoming a standard tool for nonprogrammers, much as how designing documents and creating images used to be the sole responsibility of designers but is now something that many individuals do on their own.
Here are some basic vibe coding exercises to get you started, along with step-by-step instructions
Examples of tasks
ā¢ Combine files. Previously, it took me many days to compile all of my receipts into a single file for my accountant. After that, I created a script using vibe code that combines all of the PDFs in a single folder into a single, large document. I have utilized similar scripts to merge numerous emails into a single reference file or to compile a large number of brief documents into a single draft (with subheadings according to each file name).
ā¢ Gather data. I use AI to create a script if I need to extract a little quantity of data from a large file. I did this by extracting the email addresses of everyone who frequently emails me from a folder containing old emails. In addition, I completed chores like turning every hyperlink in a Word document into a footnote. Once more, it is as easy as typing: “Create a script that changes all of the hyperlinks in this Word document to footnotes.”
ā¢ Files are cleaned and converted. Do you have a text file that would be better suited as a spreadsheet, or a number of PDFs that would be better suited as text files? Using vibe coding, you may create scripts that change the kind of files.
ā¢ Resolve sensitive photos. Images frequently have to have a certain size when I post them to my blog or Instagram, so I used AI to create a script that resized an entire folder of photos so that they would all have the same size when I uploaded them to my website.
ā¢ Eliminate trash. I frequently find that when I download a data file to my Mac, it contains a number of random trash characters. To address this, I used artificial intelligence to create a little file-cleanup tool that makes sure every downloaded file opens properly in Excel.
Are you prepared to begin? Here are some helpful strategies:
ā¢ Begin modestly. You do not need to know exactly how you want to approach vibe coding. Ask an AI if vibe coding could be useful the next time you are bored or frustrated by a monotonous work. Make sure to find out if this is a straightforward script or something that will probably call for additional time and expertise.
Begin with easy tasks that are likely to be completed quickly, such as asking your AI to write a script that can merge files or carry out a basic computation. It should be a phrase or two that uses simple language to explain your issue and the AI’s intended solution, such as “Write a script that will convert a folder full of Word docs to PDFs.”
So that you can actually get the script running, the AI can guide you through the next steps.
Establish a “coach” for coding. Indicate when and how you would like ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI platform to assist you in writing your own scripts. Describe your present level of technological expertise: Tell the AI you are beginning from scratch if you have never worked with code or a script, and it should walk you through every step. Say so if you do not understand any instructions it gives you, and it will explain.
ā¢ Gradually increase. You can take on increasingly challenging projects as you become more comfortable with the structure of programs and scripts. At that point, you can advance by experimenting with a platform like Claude Code, which speeds up the writing, debugging, and execution of your scripts.
ā¢ Preserve your security, privacy, and data. An AI could write and execute a script that accomplishes something you do not want, such as destroying important files or jeopardizing your security and privacy. Before beginning a coding project, it is always advisable to backup your computer and restrict the AI’s access to a particular folder that you use only for your vibe-coding projects. You may also ask the AI to highlight any hazards (and think about asking another AI for a second view).
Is this a little intimidating? If so, vibe coding is worth trying for yet another reason. It does not only lead to the possibility of creating your own programs when you realize how AI may assist you in learning and completing tasks that seem outside your area of expertise: It provides access to an ever-expanding array of abilities.
