Should Hoteliers be "Vibe Coding" with AI? - Danica Smith & Josiah Mackenzie
In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie is joined by Danica Smith, guest experience correspondent for Hospitality Daily and founder of MorningStar GX, to discuss whether hoteliers should start “vibe coding” with AI.
Danica shares why she decided to experiment with building software herself, what surprised her most along the way, and how AI is removing long-standing technical barriers across hospitality roles. Together, they unpack where this creates real opportunity for operators, leaders, and advisors—and what still matters deeply as technology accelerates. For hospitality professionals curious about AI but unsure where to start, this conversation offers a practical perspective.
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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands
00:00 - Intro
02:09 - What Is Vibe Coding?
04:18 - Why Learn This Now
06:00 - Frontend + Backend + APIs
07:04 - GPTs
08:11 - Builder Mindset
09:39 - Start With Three Questions
11:04 - Start with the Problem
13:19 - Prompts
21:34 - Clarity Beats Technical Skill
22:05 - GM Use Case Example
25:49 - People Replaced?
28:21 - AI Founders
30:36 - Experiment
