Description

GET CURRENT: Tech Intelligence for the South Coast
Episode: November 11, 2025
"When Vibe Coding Becomes Official (And Santa Barbara Goes Quantum)"

EPISODE SUMMARY

This week, "vibe coding" becomes the Collins Dictionary Word of the Year just as Mark returns from a seminar on the topic. Meanwhile, UC Santa Barbara joins the National Science Foundation's quantum computing initiative, positioning our region at the forefront of AI's future. Plus, two BIG upcoming events for the South Coast tech community.

KEY TOPICS

[00:30] Vibe Coding Goes Mainstream

• Collins Dictionary names "vibe coding" 2025 Word of the Year
• What it means: Describing software in plain English, letting AI write the code
• Represents shift to "AI-assisted everything"
• Mark's firsthand experience from recent seminar

[02:30] UCSB Quantum Computing Breakthrough

• UC Santa Barbara joins NSF's National Quantum Virtual Laboratory
• $4 million partnership with MIT, UCLA, and Harvard
• Professor Daniel Blumenthal leads local efforts
• Building ORAQL (Open Stack Rydberg Atom Quantum Computing Lab)
• Why it matters: Quantum computing powers next-gen AI

[04:30] Santa Barbara Tech Renaissance

• 25% growth in tech jobs locally
• Average tech salary: $151,861
• Featured company: Invoca (AI conversation intelligence)
• 200+ tech startups in the region

[06:00] Two BIG Community Events

• Friday, Nov 14: Better Business Bureau AI Evening
• Open to ALL South Coast businesses (not just BBB members)
• Focus: Practical AI implementation without hype
• Monday, Nov 17: "Searching for My Digital Twin"
• Coastal Intelligence founder Mike Wald presents
• 24-month lab findings on teaching AI to think like us
• Location: LODO Studios, Santa Barbara
• Time: 5:00-7:30 PM
• Register: https://www.coastalintelligence.ai/blog/11-17-25-AI-Evening

SOURCES & LINKS

Vibe Coding:

• CNN Business: Growing trend of 'Vibe Coding' added to Collins Dictionary
• MIT Technology Review: From vibe coding to context engineering

UCSB Quantum Lab:

• Santa Barbara Independent: UC Santa Barbara Joins NSF's National Quantum Virtual Laboratory

Local Tech Scene:

• Nucamp: Top 10 Tech Companies to Work for in Santa Barbara
• Featured Business: Invoca - AI-powered conversation intelligence

CONNECT WITH US

Coastal Intelligence

• Website: https://www.coastalintelligence.ai
• Events: https://www.coastalintelligence.ai/events
• Contact Mark: mark@coastalintelligence.ai

Get Current Podcast

• New episodes: Mondays
• Subscribe: [Your preferred podcast platform]
• Suggest stories: getcurrent@coastalintelligence.ai

PRODUCTION CREDITS

• Host: Mark Sylvester
• AI Co-Host: Alice Chen
• Production: Coastal Intelligence Writing Room
• Music: Suno.ai custom generation

Next Episode: November 18, 2025
Stay current, South Coast!