Takeaways
- Vibe coding is the process of using AI to develop code through natural language prompts.
- AI-generated code produced by amateurs can introduce security vulnerabilities and trigger performance issues in smart home systems.
- Professional programmers using AI to generate code may also be introducing long-term systemic risk into smart homes.
Much has been said about the potential impact of AI in the smart home space, and while some of its benefits are starting to fruit, a risk has also bloomed. Vibe coding, or the process of using AI to write programming code, has taken hold of just about any area involving software or coding, and its burgeoning usage in developing smart home integrations on open-source platforms is highlighting how use of this code could be introducing added security risks into home automation systems, while also drastically decreasing performance.
The risk that vibe coding brings to smart homes
In writing for How-To Geek, Engineer Adam Davidson noted that while AI allows users to easily create code for a specific purpose using natural language prompts, this ability for those unfamiliar with coding to generate significant output has led to several issues involving security vulnerabilities and integrations on smart home platforms with open APIs.
The reason for this isn’t specifically stated, but in much the same way that human programmers can produce buggy code, AI can as well. The main issue is that when experienced programmers generate buggy code, there’s a greater chance of them being able to uncover its flaws and correct it before publishing; for amateurs with little to no coding knowledge using AI to produce code they otherwise wouldn’t have the skillset to, that is not the case.
Though AI might be usable to detect certain issues and correct them, it’s not a perfect solution, and not all errors may be found and fixed.
Vibe coded software can potentially be riddled with security vulnerabilities
In his article, Davidson notes a security breach that already occurred with vibe-coded software in the form of Huntarr, a management tool for self-hosted apps. In a security review, testers found that certain API endpoints could be accessed without authentication, and responses could return stored API keys and credentials in cleartext, making it very easy for bad actors to expose sensitive details stored by the app.
Vibe coded integrations can be incredibly unoptimized
Davidson also provided some hypothetical examples as to how bad coding could impact a smart home’s performance. One such example was a scenario in which a vibe-coded app calls an API every few seconds, causing a client’s IP address to get blocked due to spam. They could also pull data from battery-powered devices more frequently, causing said batteries to be drained more quickly.
And these risks are already known by the broader tech industry
While Davidson speaks strictly on the matter of smart homes, sites like Fast Company and Forbes have already put out articles detailing the security vulnerabilities that may lurk within AI-produced code. The risk there again is on the nature of who is using vibe coding to produce these programs and integrations, as well as the approach of the higher ups who may only see the opportunity of being able to develop programming code without the associated cost of hiring a programmer.
As per Tom Barnett writing for Fast Company:
“When you generate code through an LLM, like any code that humans develop, it will have bugs. But unlike human-generated code, there is nobody on staff who fully understands how it was put together. That includes whether or not it is structurally sound, whether it is coherent, or where the vulnerabilities may be. Addressing this problem does not currently seem to be a major priority in the damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead mindset of the current AI-obsessed moment.”
To further drive home the security vulnerabilities inherent in AI-generated code, one of the biggest tech companies out there working to capitalize on the AI boom, Apple, has been heavily restricting vibe-coded apps on its app store due to the security risks they pose the end-user.
How at risk your smart home setup may be
The risk vibe coding introduces to the smart home is at its highest when using unofficial third-party integrations on open-source platforms. Of course, plenty of integrators are not going to have to worry about that issue, provided they are working with professional-grade platforms that restrict access to their APIs so that only approved partners can develop integrations with them.
That said, while these measures prevent third-party amateurs outside these organizations from developing their own custom integrations, the risk vibe-coding presents to the smart home ecosystem isn’t entirely confined to that specific actor. In increasing rumblings from insiders within Silicon Valley, there may potentially be a systemic risk vibe coding introduces into systems even when done by professionals.
Is vibe coding hype clouding judgement?
While listening to a WBUR local public radio segment on the way home from a trip recently, I caught the host of the show discussing several statements–gathered anonymously–from Silicon Valley insiders on the topic of vibe coding at these larger organizations. For those not in the know, the vibe coding bug has bit this area of the industry hard.
Google has stated that roughly 70% of all code generated within the past month was generated by AI, and others, like Meta and Oracle, are claiming similar numbers. To note: this isn’t AI code being generated and dumped into existing code whole cloth; it’s still getting reviewed by experienced programmers before being introduced into systems.
What was addressed on the public radio segment, however–and mirrors Barnett’s own assessment in writing for Fast Company–is that the allure of productivity gained by vibe coding is still managing to negatively impact code produced as a result. Insiders pointed to a potential reality that while AI may be allowing experts to produce code faster, the amount of requisite work needed to optimize and secure the code before adding it to software is being shortchanged in favor of producing more code.
Is AI-generated code all that risk free when professionals do it?
Even when professional coders use AI to vibe code, several issues persist. The first is that the underlying structure of the code is not as well-known to the vibe coder compared to if they had written the code themselves, making it inherently more difficult to debug if an issue presents itself. Additionally, AI-developed code is often more difficult to scale as the code mostly functions within the given parameters of the prompt without much focus able to be given to future add-ons.
Finally, as addressed in the WBUR segment, unless the code being introduced by AI is being rigorously inspected by its human counterpart, technical debt builds rapidly, contributing to unmaintainable code bases due to the lack of knowledge and context required to be able to work with the code in the future. Put simply when used by professionals poorly, AI-generated code produces more of a long-term systemic risk as opposed to a short-term
Takeaways for integrators
The biggest take-away for integrators given the recent revelations regarding the risks vibe coding may be introducing into the smart home is the need for working with trusted partners. While the professional smart home industry is insulated from the risks introduced by third-party vibe coders developing integrations with little to no experience, it is safe to assume that AI-generated code, at least to some degree, may be finding its way into smart home systems.
For companies working in the smart home space, these findings may point to a need for greater scrutiny when it comes to using AI-generated code within smart home systems, as the core issues are more likely to appear at a later date. For integrators this also serves as a potential warning for any firm that might be tempted to use AI-generated code for developing custom programming within a given system, whether or not the vibe coder is professional programmer.
Of course, the biggest takeaway is that the risks of vibe-coded integrations produced by unofficial third-party providers only serves to highlight the importance of sticking with official integrations produced by the companies and trusted third-party providers. Neglecting to do so may inject undue risk into your client’s system and potentially even break it.
