Comment by brothrock

AI has drastically changed how I make decisions about code and how I code in general. I get less bogged down with boilerplate code and issues, which makes me more efficient and allows me to enjoy architecting more. Additionally, I have found it extremely helpful in writing lower-level code from scratch rather than relying on plug-and-play libraries with questionable support. For example, why use a SQLite abstraction library when I can use LLMs to interact directly with the C source code? Sure it’s more lines of code, but I control everything. I wouldn’t have had the time before. This has also been extremely helpful in embedded systems and low-level Bluetooth.

In terms of hiring- I co-own a small consultancy. I just hired a sub to help me while on parental leave with some UI work. AI isn’t going to help my team integrate, deploy, or make informed decision while I’m out.

Side note, with a newborn (sleeping on me at this moment), I can make real meaningful edits to my codebase pretty much on my phone. Then review, test, integrate when I have the time. It’s amazing, but I still feel you have to know what you are doing, and I am selective on what tasks, and how to split them up. I also throw away a lot of generated code, same as I throw away a lot of my first iterations, it’s all part of the process.

I think saying “AI is going X% of my work” is the wrong attitude. I’m still doing work when I use AI, it’s just different. That statement kind of assumes you are blindly shipping robot code, which sounds horrible and zero fun.