At the Pre:plet 2026festival, which grew out of the HR&M Festival — one of the largest autumn events for the HR community in Slovenia — Luka Radičević, a young researcher at the Institute for Economic Research, gave a lecture on 22 September 2026 at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. In his Arena of Young Hopes presentation, titled 'A PhD in the Social Sciences Driven by the Coding Vibe... Let Me Explain!', he demonstrated how researchers without formal programming training can use artificial intelligence to create the tools they need for their work.

Vibe coding, or programming based on intuition or conversation with artificial intelligence, is changing our relationship with technology. It enables us to evolve from being users to becoming creators. Using the example of a tool he developed to manage his doctoral studies, he demonstrated the potential of this approach and also spoke candidly about its pitfalls. For instance, the artificial intelligence incorrectly informed him five times that a bug had been fixed. He therefore emphasised that verifying results is becoming a new fundamental skill, while artificial intelligence remains just that: a tool, not a substitute for one’s own reflection or work. Luka Radičević also applies his experience of developing and testing AI-powered tools in his work at the institute: in 2025, he conducted an introductory artificial intelligence training session for IER employees together with a colleague. In addition to his doctoral research, he is developing several support tools to help the institute streamline its work and administrative procedures.