Vibe Researching as Wolf Coming: Can AI Agents with Skills Replace or

In a research lab somewhere between theory and application, Vibe researchers have been quietly working on a problem that has stumped the AI community for years. This week, they published results that could fundamentally change how we think about machine learning.

“The AI landscape is shifting faster than most organizations can adapt. What we’re seeing from Vibe represents a meaningful step forward in how these technologies are being developed and deployed.” — Industry Analyst

Inside the Breakthrough

arXiv:2602.22401v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: AI agents — systems that execute multi-step reasoning workflows with persistent state, tool access, and specialist skills — represent a qualitative shift from prior automation technologies in social science. Unlike chatbots that respond to isolated queries, AI agents can now read files, run code, query databases, search the web, and invoke domain-specific skills to execute entire research pipelines autonomously. This paper introduces the concept of vibe researching — the AI-era parallel to “vibe coding” (Karpathy, 2025) — and uses scholar-skill, a 21-skill plugin for Claude Code covering the full research pipeline from idea to submission, as an illustrative case. I develop a cognitive task framework that classifies research activities along two dimensions — codifiability and tacit knowledge requirement — to identify a delegation boundary that is cognitive, not sequential: it cuts through every stage of the research pipeline, not between stages. I argue that AI agents excel at speed, coverage, and methodological scaffolding but struggle with theoretical originality and tacit field knowledge. The paper concludes with an analysis of three implications for the profession — augmentation with fragile conditions, stratification risk, and a pedagogical crisis — and proposes five principles for responsible vibe researching.

The development comes at a pivotal moment for the AI industry. Companies across the sector are racing to differentiate their offerings while navigating an increasingly complex regulatory environment. For Vibe, this move represents both an opportunity and a challenge.

From Lab to Real World

Market positioning has become increasingly critical as the AI sector matures. Vibe is clearly signaling its intent to compete at the highest level, investing resources in capabilities that could define the next phase of the industry’s evolution.

Competitive dynamics are also shifting. Rivals will likely need to respond with their own announcements, potentially triggering a wave of activity across the sector. The question isn’t whether others will follow—it’s how quickly and at what scale.

Enterprise adoption remains the ultimate test. As organizations move beyond experimental phases to production deployments, they’re demanding concrete returns on AI investments. Vibe’s latest move appears designed to address exactly that demand.

“We’re past the hype cycle now. Companies that can demonstrate real value—measurable, repeatable, scalable value—are the ones that will define the next decade of AI.” — Venture Capital Partner

What Comes Next

Industry observers are watching closely to see how this strategy plays out. Several key questions remain unanswered: How will competitors respond? What does this mean for pricing and accessibility in the research space? Will this accelerate enterprise adoption?

The coming months will reveal whether Vibe can deliver on its promises. In a market where announcements often outpace execution, the real test will be what happens after the initial buzz fades.

For now, one thing is clear: Vibe has made its move. The rest of the industry is watching to see what happens next.

This article was reported by the ArtificialDaily editorial team. For more information, visit ArXiv CS.AI.