AI tools are here to stay. The question isn’t whether developers will use them, but whether they’ll use them well. I’ve seen AI make teams faster. I’ve also seen it quietly lower code quality and create confusing bugs.
What AI Is Great For
- Boilerplate code (DTOs, simple CRUD handlers)
- Test case generation (especially edge cases)
- Explaining unfamiliar code and libraries
- Refactoring repetitive patterns
- Writing documentation drafts that you edit
What AI Is Bad For
- Security-critical code you don’t understand
- Complex architectural decisions
- Anything requiring deep domain context (business rules)
- Replacing reading docs (AI can hallucinate)
My Rules of Thumb
- If I can’t explain the code, I don’t ship it
- I treat AI suggestions like Stack Overflow useful but untrusted
- I run tests and linters before trusting anything
- I ask AI for options, not final answers
How to Stay Sharp
Use AI to reduce boredom, not to avoid thinking. If you outsource all problem-solving, your skills will quietly decay. A good balance: let AI handle the repetitive parts, and you handle the reasoning, review, and design.
AI won’t replace developers. But developers who use AI well will replace developers who don’t. Learn the tool, but keep your fundamentals.