Rick Rubin: Vibe Coding is the Punk Rock of Software
05/31/25 • 75 min
2 Listeners
On this episode of "The Ben & Marc Show", a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with legendary music producer and bestselling author Rick Rubin to explore the origin of his unexpected new creation: "The Way of Code"
Blending ancient philosophy and modern AI, The Way of Code reimagines the 3,000-year-old Tao Te Ching for the age of artificial intelligence, software, and “vibe coding.” What began as a viral tweet quickly evolved into a creative manifesto—part book, part tool, part spiritual operating system for the future.
Joined by a16z General Partners Anjney Midha and Erik Torenberg, the group dives deep into:
How Rick became a meme for Vibe Coding —and then quickly wrote "The Way of Code"
Why AI is just another artistic tool - Remix culture, creativity, and collective consciousness
Why great founders and artists need to stay true to themselves
With shout outs to punk rock, the collective unconscious, and Johnny Cash’s famed acoustic sessions, this conversation is a sprawling, soul-searching journey across music, philosophy, tech, and truth. We hope you enjoy this deeply personal and surprisingly practical conversation on how to live—and create—in the age of AI.
The Way of Code: https://www.thewayofcode.com/
Resources:
Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca
Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/
Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz
Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg
Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/
Stay Updated:
Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z
Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product. Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described in this podcast are not representative of all a16z investments and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but a16z does not guarantee its accuracy.
On this episode of "The Ben & Marc Show", a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with legendary music producer and bestselling author Rick Rubin to explore the origin of his unexpected new creation: "The Way of Code"
Blending ancient philosophy and modern AI, The Way of Code reimagines the 3,000-year-old Tao Te Ching for the age of artificial intelligence, software, and “vibe coding.” What began as a viral tweet quickly evolved into a creative manifesto—part book, part tool, part spiritual operating system for the future.
Joined by a16z General Partners Anjney Midha and Erik Torenberg, the group dives deep into:
How Rick became a meme for Vibe Coding —and then quickly wrote "The Way of Code"
Why AI is just another artistic tool - Remix culture, creativity, and collective consciousness
Why great founders and artists need to stay true to themselves
With shout outs to punk rock, the collective unconscious, and Johnny Cash’s famed acoustic sessions, this conversation is a sprawling, soul-searching journey across music, philosophy, tech, and truth. We hope you enjoy this deeply personal and surprisingly practical conversation on how to live—and create—in the age of AI.
The Way of Code: https://www.thewayofcode.com/
Resources:
Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca
Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/
Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz
Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg
Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/
Stay Updated:
Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z
Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product. Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described in this podcast are not representative of all a16z investments and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but a16z does not guarantee its accuracy.
Previous Episode
Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz: Rewriting the Rules of Venture — Live From the a16z LP Summit
On this special live episode of The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz take the stage for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on the evolution—and future—of Andreessen Horowitz.
Recorded live at a16z’s LP Summit in Las Vegas, Marc and Ben unpack how the firm grew from a disruptive newcomer into one of the most ambitious and adaptive forces in VC. They share how a16z broke from industry orthodoxy to build a firm designed to scale with innovation itself—powered by structural agility, a platform model, and a long-term commitment to transformational founders.
Moderated by a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg, this live chat dives deep into the firm’s internal culture, its speed of decision-making, and the philosophy that underpins every strategic move—from launching into crypto and AI to reshaping the role of media and memes in tech.
Together, they explore:
How a16z restructured to lead across multiple emerging markets
The importance of the firm's cultural enforcement
What it means to build a generational firm
Why narrative control is more vital than ever in the age of social media
Enjoy this behind-the-scenes story of how a16z became the leading VC firm -- and what comes next!
Resources:
Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca
Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/
Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz
Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg
Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/
Stay Updated:
Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z
Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product. Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described in this podcast are not representative of all a16z investments and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but a16z does not guarantee its accuracy.
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