Merriam-Webster adds AI terms like 'agentic' and 'vibe coding'

Peter Sokolowski, a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, notes that these words require advanced knowledge to understand, reflecting how digital communication has expanded non-specialists' access to technical jargon. He describes the batch as a meta-commentary on language itself. For a word to be included, it must appear repeatedly in mainstream media, and specialist groups define the terms for a general audience.

Lera Boroditsky, a cognitive scientist at the University of California, San Diego, explains that rapid technological advancement drives the creation of new words. She compares the current rate of change to the industrial revolution, suggesting that complex societies require tightly packed units of meaning to discuss complex topics efficiently.