Why Vibe Coding Might Get You Hacked! Why AI Tools Act Like Junior Devs | Eric Müller

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Eric Müller, an engineering leader and security expert at Work & Co, to explore how AI is reshaping software development and why tools like GitHub Copilot and other AI code assistants must be treated like junior developers: fast, eager, and potentially dangerous without proper oversight.We dive into the emerging trend of “vibe coding”, the practice of relying heavily on AI to generate code without fully understanding or validating it. Eric unpacks the hidden risks this creates, including hallucinated libraries, security vulnerabilities, and long-term maintainability challenges. He shares actionable insights on how developers and leaders can use AI responsibly, how to grow junior talent in an AI-assisted world, and what engineering managers should be doing to prevent burnout and maintain team health. We also discuss what makes a good manager, the role of psychological safety, and how to lead with trust in high-performing teams.Eric Müller is an experienced engineering leader and cybersecurity expert. He currently leads product engineering and digital security efforts at Work & Co. Over his 20+ year career, Eric has held leadership roles at companies like Presence, Razorfish, and Edelman, helping teams build secure, high-quality digital products. He is known for his thoughtful approach to engineering culture, developer experience, and security-first product development.Support This PodcastTo support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/Takeaways* AI tools act like junior devs, fast but risky without oversight* Vibe coding skips thinking and leads to bad code* AI can hallucinate libraries, opening security holes* Always review, test, and secure AI-generated code* Great for prototyping, not solving new problems* Junior devs are still essential, don’t stop hiring them* Managers should remove blockers, not micromanage* Burnout signals: too much pressure, no time off* Watch team health via Slack activity and standups* Best leaders listen, trust, and protect their teamsTimestamps00:00 Introduction to AI, Developers & Software Innovation03:36 Ads04:50 How AI Coding Tools Are Changing Software Development13:19 AI Limitations, Hallucinations & Common Misconceptions17:00 Security Risks of AI-Generated Code & Maintenance Challenges22:58 Why We Still Need Junior Developers in the Age of AI28:02 What Makes a Great Engineering Manager in Modern Teams31:48 Building Accountability & Psychological Safety in Dev Teams36:25 Preventing Burnout & Promoting Work-Life Balance in Tech41:30 How to Measure Team Health, Performance & Productivity44:36 Transitioning to Engineering Leadership: Listening & Trust46:42 The Future of AI in Secure & Scalable Software DevelopmentConnect with Eric* Website: https://work.co/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmullersf/ Connect with Vit* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/ * X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin Vit’s Projects* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/ * AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

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