If anything, vibecode is becoming as addictive as scrolling through social media, but instead of just consuming content, users actually create something.

A software architect is spending $800 per month to use programming AI tools. He registered up to 4 Claude Max accounts, but each 5-hour usage window usually ran out after just 30-45 minutes. When his turn ends, he switches back and forth between consoles to check which account is about to be granted a new turn.

That is the story Alexey Pelykh shared on DEV Community in April 2026. He describes the feeling of anxiety every time he runs out of tokens, because the thought always appears in his mind that others are still working hard to create products, and he is being left behind.

At first glance, the story sounds like someone who is too passionate about his work. But if we replace Claude windows with Facebook, TikTok or Instagram screens, we can recognize an interesting similarity: the feeling of always wanting to continue, even though we're not sure what we're looking for next time.

Social media platforms have long been likened to miniature slot machines. Every time you swipe the screen, users don't know exactly what will appear: an interesting video, an unexpected comment, a new message or nothing noteworthy. It's that unpredictability that makes them want to try one more time.

Tristan Harris, a former design ethics expert at Google, once likened smartphones to slot machines that billions of people carry in their pockets. This mechanism appears even in familiar operations such as pulling down to refresh the page. Users don't know what's interesting about the new content, but still want to wait and see.

Vibecoding, the form of building software by describing requirements for AI to write code, has a similar loop. Each command sent is like a pull of a slot machine lever. Sometimes AI creates a feature that works perfectly in just a few seconds. Sometimes the results are completely wrong, forcing the user to try again. But sometimes, what you receive far exceeds your initial expectations.

An article on Guokr/36Kr dated July 20, 2026 links this experience to the reward prediction error mechanism, a concept studied in neuroscience. Simply put, when the actual outcome differs from what the brain predicts, the reward processing system can react to that difference. Surprise can therefore also become part of what makes the experience more attractive.

However, vibecoding has one big difference from surfing social networks: users not only consume content but actually create something.

A person can start with the idea of ​​making a small application, then ask AI to build the interface, add features, fix errors and connect services. Each time they complete a step, they see the specific results before their eyes. That sense of progress makes continuing to work on a project more appealing, sometimes more so than spending time with familiar distractions.

In April 2026, Naval Ravikant commented that vibecoding is more addictive than any video game ever made, as long as the user knows what he wants to build. This is also what makes this experience special: instead of sitting for hours watching short videos, users can spend that same time turning their ideas into a real product.

But the feeling that you are creating something useful makes the line between creative passion and difficulty stopping become fragile. On the Reddit forum r/vibecoding, one person said that in the past they often had to stop to read documents or find ways to solve problems themselves. Now, AI can immediately suggest the next plan, making the working flow almost uninterrupted. Another person even wrote code to automatically turn off the command line window and lock the laptop at 11 pm because he didn't believe he could stop it himself.

These stories can make people think of some of the symptoms often mentioned when studying addictive behavior: constantly wanting to continue, difficulty controlling usage time, feeling restless when unable to continue or letting that activity affect personal activities.

An eight-month study at an American technology company with about 200 employees, published by Harvard Business Review on March 3, 2026, also noted a notable loop when AI was introduced into work. Employees complete tasks faster, but at the same time take on more work and extend their working hours. Increased speed increases expectations for speed, which in turn motivates employees to use AI more. A loop with almost no way out.

Perhaps that's why vibecoding creates a rather special type of attraction. Users don't necessarily feel like they're spending too much time on an entertainment. They may think they're just fixing a small bug, trying out a feature, or perfecting an idea that just came up. And every time there's a very good-sounding reason to keep going.

As for Pelykh, after sharing the story of 4 Claude accounts and spending $800 per month, he did not give any neat lessons. He closed his laptop, went to the beach in the south of France and told readers that if they needed to find him, his pass would be reissued at 6 p.m.