The year 2025 may be remembered as the year of the “vibe.” Collins Dictionary’s Word of the Year list is topped by “vibe coding” and features “aura farming,” two terms that, while from different worlds, both revolve around the power of an intangible, curated feeling.
The winner, “vibe coding,” is the practice of using AI to translate a natural language “vibe” into functional software. Coined by OpenAI’s Andrej Karpathy, it’s a technical process that prioritizes human intention and feeling over rigid syntax. It’s about turning a creative “vibe” into a digital reality.
In the social sphere, “aura farming” also made the list. This term describes the deliberate cultivation of a charismatic persona—in essence, “farming” a cool “aura.” Popularized by viral trends and celebrities like Travis Kelce, it’s about manufacturing a “vibe” for social capital.
It’s fascinating that our language in 2025 is so focused on this concept. One term describes “vibes” as the new input for AI, while the other describes “vibes” (or “aura”) as the new currency for social status.
These terms were part of a “tech-heavy” list that also included the anti-AI term “clanker” and the anti-tech-elite term “broligarchy.” Other words like “Henry” (economic anxiety) and “taskmasking” (work anxiety) rounded out the picture of a society trying to find its “vibe” in a complex world.
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