This article was originally written by Murray Fraser, Director of AI Strategy & Transformation at Xperate, and first shared on his LinkedIn. You can read the original article here.
Vibe Coding is fast. But control is everything
There is a new trend gaining attention in AI development.
Describe what you want. Let AI write the code. Ship it.
It is often referred to as “vibe coding”, and for early-stage prototypes, it can be extremely useful. It allows ideas to be tested quickly, concepts to be visualised and development teams to explore possibilities at pace.
But for law firms, speed is only part of the equation.
Why this matters for law firms
Vibe coding optimises for speed over control.
That can work well in a demo environment, where the objective is to test an idea quickly. It becomes much more complicated when the software is expected to operate in a legal environment involving:
In legal services, “it works” is not enough.
The better question is whether the system is controlled, secure, explainable and defensible.
Where vibe coding can break down
The risk with AI-generated code is not that AI is being used. The risk is when it is used without proper engineering discipline around it.
That can lead to:
That may be acceptable for an internal proof of concept.
It is a very different matter when a system is handling live client data, integrating with firm-wide platforms or supporting business-critical legal processes.
The difference between a prototype and an enterprise system
The distinction is simple.
Vibe coding is AI-led.
Enterprise systems are engineered.
A prototype can show what might be possible. A production-ready legal technology solution has to do much more. It needs to be secure, maintainable, tested, documented and aligned with how the firm actually works.
That is where human oversight, technical judgement and sector understanding matter.
The Xperate approach
At Xperate, we actively use AI in development. We see its value, and we use it to accelerate the way software is designed, built and improved.
But we do not rely on it blindly.
For us, AI accelerates. Humans control.
Our approach is built around:
Because understanding cannot be outsourced. And neither can responsibility.
Speed with control
AI will continue to change how software is built. Used well, it can help development teams move faster, test ideas more efficiently and deliver better outcomes.
But in law firms, competitive advantage will not come from speed alone. It will come from speed with control.
That is the difference between something that works in a demo and something a law firm can trust in production.
This article follows Murray’s recent piece on AI guardrails in law firms, which explored why safe AI adoption must start with control, accountability and human oversight. You can read the first article here.