Rick Rubin: Vibe Coding is the Punk Rock of Software

On this episode of "The Ben & Marc Show", a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with legendary music producer and bestselling author Rick Rubin to explore the origin of his unexpected new creation: "The Way of Code"*

Blending ancient philosophy and modern AI, The Way of Code reimagines the 3,000-year-old Tao Te Ching for the age of artificial intelligence, software, and “vibe coding.” What began as a viral tweet quickly evolved into a creative manifesto—part book, part tool, part spiritual operating system for the future.

Joined by a16z General Partners Anjney Midha and Erik Torenberg, the group dives deep into:
How Rick became a meme for Vibe Coding —and then quickly wrote "The Way of Code"
Why AI is just another artistic tool
Remix culture, creativity, and collective consciousness
Why great founders and artists need to stay true to themselves

With shout outs to punk rock, the collective unconscious, and Johnny Cash’s famed acoustic sessions, this conversation is a sprawling, soul-searching journey across music, philosophy, tech, and truth. We hope you enjoy this deeply personal and surprisingly practical conversation on how to live—and create—in the age of AI.

*The Way of Code: www.thewayofcode.com/

“Tools will come and tools will go. Only the vibe coder remains.” - Rick Rubin

Topics covered:
00:00 Intro: Rick Rubin and The Way of Code
03:18 Remix Culture and AI as Creative Tool
08:11 Finding Inspiration From the Tao Te Ching
10:03 How a Meme Led to Rick's Book
12:59 Vibe Coding is the Punk Rock of Software
17:35 Deep Fake Inversion and Wrestling Philosophy
24:40 Collective Unconscious and the 100th Monkey
28:05 Can AI Believe in God?
32:03 Is AI Creative or Mimicking?
37:24 Tuning Into Ourselves
43:05 Global Monoculture vs. Local Creativity
49:34 Putting AI in the Hands of Masters
57:26 Working With Johnny Cash
01:03:57 Relationship Between Art and Audience
01:09:47 How to Best Serve an Audience
01:17:05 Outro: Vibe With Yourself

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Anjney on X: x.com/AnjneyMidha

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