Agile Manifest for Vibe Coding: When AI Becomes Your Teammate
Something curious is happening in software development.
We’re crossing a line that Agile never imagined back in 2001:
we’re no longer the only ones writing the code.
Welcome to Vibe Coding — an emerging paradigm where human intention replaces manual syntax.
Developers describe what they want, and intelligent systems translate that intent into code, interfaces, even architecture.
It’s still messy, inconsistent, sometimes weirdly brilliant — but it’s real.
And it’s forcing Agile to evolve.
From Agile Teams to Hybrid Ecosystems
In classic Agile, teams were the smallest unit of value creation.
In Vibe Coding, teams expand — not in size, but in nature.
They now include AI agents as semi-autonomous contributors.
- Developers collaborate with coding copilots.
- Designers iterate with generative UI systems.
- Testers get replaced by self-executing test agents.
- Backlogs start managing themselves.
Agile used to be about reducing friction between humans.
Now it’s about orchestrating collaboration between humans and AI — across speed, context, and trust.
What Survives — and What Mutates
Scrum
Still valuable — but no longer a “ritualistic” cycle.
- Sprints may shrink to hours, not weeks.
- Backlogs will be dynamically rewritten by AI based on feedback loops.
- Daily stand-ups may turn into syncs with AI agents that summarize progress and blockers.
The essence of Scrum remains — transparency, inspection, adaptation — but human attention shifts:
from “what we did” → to “what the AI produced, and why.”
Scrum Masters become Communication Agents, focusing on team coherence, emotional health, and semantic clarity — not ticket management.
Kanban
Kanban thrives in a world of continuous flow — and that’s exactly where Vibe Coding excels.
AI systems can move tasks autonomously through stages, predict bottlenecks, and self-adjust WIP limits.
Human focus moves from “moving cards” → to defining flow rules and interpreting system signals.
In other words, we evolve from operators to curators of flow.
Agile as a Philosophy
The Manifesto’s values don’t die; they get re-anchored.
| 2001 Value | 2025 Reality |
|---|---|
| Individuals and interactions over processes and tools | Human–AI interaction over manual process enforcement |
| Working software over comprehensive documentation | Validated outcomes over raw code |
| Customer collaboration over contract negotiation | Shared exploration with both users and AI |
| Responding to change over following a plan | Co-evolving with adaptive AI systems |
The spirit remains: collaboration, adaptability, feedback.
But the objects of collaboration change.
The New Roles
AI Product Engineer
No longer “writes” code — guides it. Crafts prompts, curates models, debugs intent rather than syntax.
Product Owner (Evolved)
Defines purpose and value, not just features.
Understands what AI can do — and what it shouldn’t.
Communication Agent (ex-Scrum Master)
Keeps humans aligned in an environment that moves faster than they can read.
Facilitates trust, psychological safety, and meaning.
UX Designer
Co-creates with AI tools — focusing less on pixels, more on flow and emotional resonance.
AI Architect
Owns explainability, privacy, and system coherence across human-AI touchpoints.
The Agile Manifesto — Vibe Coding Edition
We are uncovering better ways of creating with AI,
by doing it and helping others do it.
We now value:
Intent and clarity over detailed specification
Collaboration between humans and AI over rigid handoffs
Rapid generation and reflection over pre-defined iterations
Continuous learning and adaptation over process conformity
Transparency and shared context over micromanaged metrics
Human wellbeing and focus over blind speed and automation
That doesn’t mean the old values are obsolete — it means they’ve evolved.
Agility is not a process. It’s a mindset that survives every technological shift.
The Real Challenge Ahead
The danger isn’t that AI will “replace” developers.
It’s that teams will forget to stay intentional — to keep asking why, not just what.
Vibe Coding doesn’t make Agile irrelevant.
It makes it more necessary than ever — as the human glue that keeps intelligence (both natural and artificial) moving toward value, not chaos.
In short:
Agile began as a rebellion against bureaucracy.
Now it becomes a discipline of co-creation —
a language for humans and AI to build meaningfully together.