Vibe Coding Gives Non-Technical PMs Superpowers

AI coding tools are fundamentally transforming product management at major tech companies, enabling non-technical professionals to build and ship features directly. A Meta product manager with no programming background has discovered that 'vibe coding' has given him capabilities that previously required years of engineering training.

This shift represents more than just a workflow improvement—it signals a potential collapse of traditional role boundaries in technology companies. What happens when the person coordinating between design and engineering can suddenly execute code themselves? The answer is reshaping how products get built and who gets to build them.

Zevi Arnovitz joined Meta in September after three years as a product manager at website-building company Wix. Despite finding code 'terrifying,' Arnovitz discovered AI coding tools in mid-2024, marking a turning point in his career. The experience felt like being handed superpowers, fundamentally changing what his job means.

Arnovitz has completely rebuilt his workflow around AI capabilities. He now uses vibe coding tools like Cursor alongside models from Anthropic and Google to execute tasks that once required deep engineering expertise:

• Exploring product ideas from concept to visualization
• Generating detailed build plans and technical specifications
• Executing code and testing functionality directly
• Reviewing code quality and making iterations
• Updating documentation automatically

Understanding how to use AI intentionally is one of the biggest game changers that will make you much better as a PM, according to Arnovitz. The transformation moves product managers from being mere coordinators between engineering and design to operating as true product owners with execution capabilities.

The rise of vibe coding is blurring traditional role boundaries across the technology sector. Arnovitz predicts that everyone's going to become a builder, a trend already visible in how companies are restructuring their approach to product development.

Everyone's going to become a builder. We're going to see that a lot in the next coming years.

This democratization of building capabilities extends beyond product managers. Dylan Field, CEO of design platform Figma, observed that AI has pushed workers across disciplines—designers, engineers, researchers—to experiment with building products. Tasks requiring deep engineering expertise can now be accomplished through vibe coding tools, allowing professionals to dip their toe into the other roles and become specialized product builders.

The industry is responding by retraining talent to be more flexible. LinkedIn replaced its long-running associate product manager program with an associate product builder track in January. The company's former chief product officer Tomer Cohen explained the shift toward training people who can flex across disciplines, teaching them to code, design, and manage products simultaneously.

Despite the empowerment vibe coding provides, Arnovitz emphasizes important guardrails for non-technical product managers. He cautions that product managers should not attempt to ship complex infrastructure changes or large-scale projects. The sweet spot lies in smaller UI projects where AI can generate the feature code, which developers then review and complete.

This collaborative model creates a learning opportunity rather than a replacement dynamic. Arnovitz advocates treating vibe coding as a way to build shared understanding with engineering teams. As AI tools continue improving, he predicts that traditional titles and responsibilities will increasingly collapse into more fluid, cross-functional roles.

The approach balances empowerment with responsibility. Product managers gain direct execution capabilities while maintaining respect for engineering expertise in complex scenarios. This creates a partnership where PMs can prototype and iterate rapidly, while developers focus on architecture, scalability, and technical debt management.

The transformation Arnovitz describes represents a fundamental shift in product ownership. Traditional product management often positioned PMs as translators—converting between design vision and engineering reality. With vibe coding, PMs become creators who can validate ideas, build prototypes, and demonstrate value without waiting for engineering cycles.

This acceleration changes team dynamics and development velocity. When product managers can explore ideas independently, they arrive at engineering discussions with tested concepts rather than abstract requirements. The result is faster iteration, better alignment, and more informed decision-making throughout the product lifecycle.

Looking forward, the integration of AI coding tools into product management workflows suggests a future where technical and non-technical distinctions become increasingly irrelevant. The focus shifts from who knows how to code to who can solve user problems effectively, with AI serving as the bridge between vision and execution.

Key takeaway: Vibe coding is not just a productivity tool—it's a career transformation engine that democratizes product building across organizational hierarchies. Arnovitz's experience demonstrates that technical barriers are rapidly dissolving, creating opportunities for anyone with product vision to become a builder.

The implications extend beyond individual careers to how technology companies structure teams, hire talent, and approach product development. As AI tools mature, the question won't be whether non-technical people can build products, but rather how organizations can best leverage this new capability to innovate faster and more effectively.