Meta product managers use vibe coding to quickly prototype apps for CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
AI tools like Metamate and Devmate enable rapid product development at Meta.
Vibe coding skills are now highly valued in tech, lowering barriers for non-engineers.
Meta’s product managers aren’t waiting on engineers to turn ideas into demos. Instead, they are vibe coding to design prototype apps themselves and presenting them directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
“PMs are actually vibe coding products, and we’re showing them to Zuck and leadership, and it’s allowing us to iterate and explore the space really fast,” said Joseph Spisak, a product director in Meta’s Superintelligence Labs (MSL), onstage at the TechEquity AI Summit in Sunnyvale, California, on Friday.
Vibe coding, a term originating in developer communities, refers to AI-assisted coding using instructions provided in natural language.
“We can literally vibe code products in a matter of hours, days, and explore the space,” Spisak added.
Spisak described Meta’s “internal systems” as powerful enough for non-engineers to adjust interfaces on the fly, allowing developers to “change colors and change ideas.”
The remarks shed new light on how Meta, like the rest of Silicon Valley, is reorganizing product development around AI assistants. Meta uses at least two: Metamate, a ChatGPT-style bot trained on internal data, and Devmate, a coding assistant that incorporates multiple large language models, including those from rivals like Anthropic, to speed up programming.
Speeding up the development process and embracing vibe coding have become top priorities at MSL, which Meta formed in June as it races against other AI rivals. One memo from late September said that Meta’s existing systems, designed for billions of users and giant engineering teams, take “too long” to deploy changes and are “not conducive to vibe coding,” making it harder for small, fast-moving AI teams to experiment.
Similar transformations are underway across Silicon Valley. Google has spent the past year pushing workers to integrate AI into every stage of product development. Last year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that more than a quarter of Google’s code is generated by AI before being reviewed by humans. At Microsoft, executives have told managers that “using AI is no longer optional,” according to an internal memo obtained by Business Insider.
Meta is making similar internal pushes toward AI. The company tracks employees’ AI usage through dashboards, sets adoption targets, and even runs an internal game called Level Up that rewards staff who hit AI milestones, Business Insider reported last month.
Vibe coding skills have also become a recruiting priority across the tech industry. Firms like Reddit and DoorDash now list experience with AI coding tools like Cursor and Bolt as desired skills, according to a Business Insider report, and at least one Y Combinator startup calls vibe coding “non-negotiable” for new hires.
“We are getting to the point where the barriers are really low right now,” Spisak told the audience, adding that even his 11-year-old daughter now vibe codes new environments to play in Roblox
“This is what I tell PMs at Meta and other places where I mentor PMs,” Spisak said. “Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.”
Thanksgiving is typically the busiest time of year for air travel.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Thanksgiving travel could be chaotic this year, especially if the government shutdown persists.
Travel pros say there are steps you can take to minimize the chances of your plans getting derailed.
Travelers should monitor alerts from airlines and flight trackers.
Thanksgiving weekend is typically one of the busiest times to travel, and thanks to multiple factors, this year could devolve into chaos.
Travel companies and federal officials have already warned that if the government shutdown continues, travelers could face a continuation of reduced flights, as well as the always possible risk of disruptive weather.
For those who are still planning to travel, travel professionals advise taking certain steps to maximize your chances of a smooth experience.
You can’t control the weather, the airlines, or whether the government reopens, so here are some tips on things you can control.
Some days are better to fly than others
If you haven’t booked travel yet or have flexibility on your reservation, you could consider rescheduling for a less busy day, Sean Cudahy, an aviation reporter at The Points Guy, told Business Insider.
The Sunday after Thanksgiving, for instance, tends to be the busiest travel day, so avoiding it altogether could be a good idea. Thanksgiving day is often actually a good day to fly, as it’s typically far less busy than the Tuesday or Wednesday before, he said.
Cudahy said early morning flights are often less likely to be delayed than those later in the day. He also recommended booking nonstop flights, as layovers tend to increase the likelihood of a disruption. However, if you do need a connecting flight, avoid tight connection times.
Summer Hull, the senior director of content at The Points Guy, said she would seriously consider taking the train or driving if you’re within driving distance.
“If I were only going to be looking at an 8, 10, or 12-hour drive instead of dealing with this stress, I would strongly consider that right now,” she said.
Be proactive about communication and act quickly
When there are widespread travel disruptions, it’s often the case that travelers who act the fastest are rewarded, according to Hull.
In order to stay as up-to-date as possible, Hull said travelers should opt-in to airline alerts and make sure they have their airlines’ app. As they get closer to their day of departure, she recommends checking sites like FlightAware, where you may get alerted to a change in your flight even before your airline does.
“At a minimum, just opt into all the information notices and tracking, and I would check every day right now,” she said, adding, “the situations are so fluid.”
If there is a change in your flight, you should act quickly, she said. That means don’t just stand in a long line and wait around for an airline employee to help you. Be proactive and try to manage your own travel through the app or website. If you encounter any issues, call customer service while you’re still in line.
“This will be one of those situations where those who move quickest have the most options,” she said.
She also said you should keep an eye on TSA wait times. While the actual TSA app is not running as usual because of the shutdown, some airports give estimated wait times, so you should check with them.
Consider getting TSA PreCheck or Clear.
If you’ve been on the fence about enrolling in TSA PreCheck or Clear, now might be the time.
Hull said they came in handy for some travelers in Houston last weekend, when TSA wait times at George Bush Intercontinental Airport were over three hours.
“They’re not a guarantee when everything goes haywire,” Hull said, “but even in Houston, they were helping people get through faster in most cases.”
TSA PreCheck applications can take anywhere from several to 60 days to be approved, but most get approved within 3 to 5 days. Travelers can enroll in Clear at the airport on the same day they are traveling.
Check your travel insurance policy closely
Hull and Cudahy recommend booking your travel with a credit card that offers travel protections, such as the Chase Sapphire card. Some cards with travel protections will compensate you for hotels, food, and activities that you miss out on when your travel is delayed or canceled.
Rick Bagnell, vice president of business development at the insurance and consulting company Risk Strategies Company, said that travel insurance could also provide additional help to travelers who face disruptions over the Thanksgiving holiday.
However, if you did not purchase the insurance prior to October 1, when the government shutdown began, it may not cover delays related to the government shutdown, since it would likely not fall under an unforeseen circumstance.
Bagnell said that if you do have insurance, you should ensure you fully understand what your plan covers and what to do if you encounter issues.
“What they really need to do is reach out to the policy or the agents and just make sure they understand their contracts and coverage for trip delay, and the steps to take if they get into that situation,” he said.
Some Starbucks “Bearista” cups are listed for as much as $50,000 on eBay.
Starbucks; eBay
Starbucks launched its viral Bearista holiday collectible cup on Thursday, drawing huge crowds.
The craze has created a hot resale market, with Bearistas listed for thousands of dollars on eBay.
Some baristas said aggressive customers, disappointed they couldn’t get one, ruined the launch.
For some diehard Starbucks fans, a $7 latte isn’t enough of a splurge — they’re ready to spend hundreds of dollars on the collectible holiday cup it comes in.
Starbucks’ Glass Bearista Cold Cup, which launched and quickly sold out on Thursday at an original price point of $29.95, has evolved from festive holiday merch into an investment item, fueling a resale market usually reserved for designer sneakers and rare toys.
Shortly after launch, eBay was flooded with listings for the beanie-wearing Bearista, with some cups listed with “Buy It Now” prices of up to $50,000. While it doesn’t appear that any have sold for such an exorbitant price, auction listings reviewed by Business Insider have racked up bids upward of $285 (plus shipping).
A representative for Starbucks told Business Insider the response to the Bearista cup “exceeded even our biggest expectations.”
“Despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast,” the spokesperson said. “We know it’s disappointing to fans, and we’re sorry if they missed out. We appreciate our customers’ understanding. We have more exciting merchandise coming this holiday season.”
The holiday spirit at Starbucks came with an extra side of scarcity this year, as some baristas who worked on launch day said their stores received just one or two Bearista cups to sell — and customers were lined up before opening, ready to claim one for themselves.
The Starbucks spokesperson declined to comment on the number of Bearista units shipped out this year or stock levels at specific stores.
A shift supervisor who has been with the company for over a year told Business Insider that customers lined up outside for more than half an hour before the store opened, and since they only received two Bearista cups to sell, they “sold out immediately.”
“I got to my store somewhere between 3:45 and 3:50 a.m. and there were already several people literally wrapped in blankets, camped out in front of the store,” a Minnesota-based barista who has worked with Starbucks for seven years told Business Insider. “When we tried to enter, after reminding them that the store does not open until 4:30 a.m., they tried to push their way in with us.”
She added that, when her manager arrived at the store after 4 a.m. and told the waiting customers there would be a limit of one bear-themed cup per party, the customers got angry and “cussed her out.”
Starbucks’ collectible appeal
The 2025 Bearista cup isn’t Starbucks’ first foray into collectible merch. The company first debuted its Bearista in 1997 in plush form and has since expanded into a wide variety of seasonal and themed merchandise, which customers regularly clamor for.
Starbucks debuted its “Bearista” items in 1997, starting with a plush toy, and has since expanded its offerings of collectible items with seasonal drops.
Starbucks
A Starbucks spokesperson told Business Insider that the policy for merchandise sales requires the items to be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, with no purchase limit or holds — meaning customers could buy more than one, and a staff member could not set aside an item with the intent to purchase it themselves, or save it for a customer.
John Kauchick, a 70-year-old Starbucks fan in Mississippi who says he has spent “several thousand” dollars on collectible merchandise from the coffee giant over the last 25 years, told Business Insider he camped outside his local Starbucks starting at 3 a.m. to get a chance at purchasing the bear, as well as some limited-edition Hello Kitty-themed merchandise also released on Thursday.
Although he was first in line, Kauchick said a barista at the location he visited had purchased the store’s lone Bearista cup for herself before he had the opportunity to do so, which has irritated him enough to consider stopping his spending at Starbucks entirely.
“I felt cheated out of the opportunity to get one,” Kauchick said. Although he has turned to resellers before, including spending $150 on a Taylor Swift-themed Starbucks tumbler he had been eyeing, he doesn’t want to keep feeding the secondary market, given the inflated prices.
“I may get one,” he said, “But I have this bad taste in my mouth still, and I think I may decide I just can’t do this anymore.”
A Labubu-level rush
In the days since the launch, social media has been filled with celebratory posts from Starbucks fans showcasing their festive Bearista cups.
The fervor is reminiscent of the craze surrounding cult items like Labubu dolls, which Business Insider reported in August were on track to hit a billion dollars in sales this year, and created a secondary market of people creating custom versions, including tattooed Labubus that sell for over $200 each, for the most committed fans of the brand.
Some Starbucks “Bearista” cups are listed for as much as $50,000 on eBay.
Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert
For every post bragging about scoring one of the coveted cups, there’s another from an exhausted barista, publicly begging customers to understand that they have no personal control over the available inventory.
Once the Bearista cups were sold out at her store, the Minnesota-based barista said some customers became aggressive, calling her and other staff “flat out disgusting” names. The vitriol continued well into Friday, she said.
Another barista, who has worked at the company for 11 years, told Business Insider that “the phone wouldn’t stop ringing” all day Thursday, with customers calling to see if their store happened to have an extra Bearista on hand.
“If customers were polite, I would apologize and direct them to the Target store where they might have a slim chance to get one,” they said, referencing licensed in-store cafés, which were rumored to have received more Bearista inventory than corporate-owned stores. “If they were rude and asked me if we had any at 5 p.m., I told them they already knew the answer.”
Although some social media reports suggested that a handful of Starbucks fans became violent over the Bearista launch, Business Insider could not verify any such incidents. Still, it wouldn’t be the first time collectors threw punches over a popular item. In 2021, Target stopped stocking Pokémon, NFL, MLB, and NBA trading cards after their increasing resale value sparked fist fights in their stores.
“I’m a bug for rarity, and one thing that Starbucks does is they build up the expectation or the perception of scarcity — and they do that on purpose,” Kauchick said. “I feel sorry for some of the people who got caught up in the hostility or whatever. But, you know, Starbucks knows what they’re doing.”
