Vibe Coding is the new hype. Suddenly, anyone can generate working software with just a few prompts—without traditional programming skills. For many, this is a game changer: ideas can be turned into usable prototypes in no time, and feature concepts can be validated before the first user story ever hits the backlog.

But what happens when we look behind the curtain? All too often, we find code that is hard to maintain, outdated libraries, security vulnerabilities, and a lack of testability. It quickly becomes clear: the magic has its dark sides. AI can do a lot—but it doesn’t produce good code by itself.

In this hands-on talk, I will show how we as developers can harness the strengths of AI without throwing our standards for quality, maintainability, and architecture overboard. Instead of blind trust, we rely on a collaborative partnership with AI: from structured prompting and the deliberate use of proven architectural and design principles to continuous reflection on the results.

You will walk away with practical tips and strategies on how to use AI as a productive sparring partner in your daily projects—not for a quick vibe, but for sustainable engineering.