The Incident That Made Me Think
Today, I had an experience that made me question the way AI is affecting developers. I gave one of my juniors a detailed Dev Design Spec for a new feature aimed at reducing network usage, using in-memory caching in C++. It was a comprehensive document, around 80 pages long, covering everything needed for implementation.
A few hours later, he came to me with basic questions about functions, workflows, and other things that were clearly outlined in the document. I asked him, “Did you go through the document? Everything is mentioned there.”
His response? “Yes, but I asked Copilot to summarize it because the document was too long.”
That’s when it hit me – AI is making us lazy. AI tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and others are meant to help us, not replace our critical thinking. Instead of taking the time to read and understand complex documents, developers are now relying on AI to do the thinking for them. And that is a dangerous trend.
How AI Is Hurting Developer Skills
Artificial Intelligence tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and others have become incredibly useful. They can generate code, summarize documents, and provide instant answers. But here’s the issue – when developers depend too much on AI, they stop thinking deeply about problems. Let’s break down the risks:
1. Loss of Deep Understanding
Reading a document, understanding it, and breaking it down into implementation steps are crucial skills for developers. When you rely on AI summaries, you miss context, details, and the reasoning behind decisions. This makes it harder to troubleshoot problems later.
2. Lack of Attention to Detail
Technical documentation exists for a reason. If developers are skipping important parts because they think AI will filter out the essentials, they risk missing critical edge cases, dependencies, and constraints that can lead to bugs and failures.
3. Declining Problem-Solving Skills
Good developers don’t just write code; they solve problems. If AI starts doing most of the thinking, developers will struggle when AI-generated solutions don’t work. Problem-solving requires practice, and skipping the process weakens the skill over time.
Why This Matters for Developers (and Everyone Else)
This isn’t just about junior developers. It’s about how we’re training the next generation of engineers. Coding isn’t just about writing lines of code—it’s about understanding systems, solving problems creatively, and adapting to constraints (like minimizing network usage). If AI handles the “thinking” part, what’s left?
Imagine a future where developers can’t debug without AI, can’t design systems without a chatbot, or can’t explain their code. Scary, right?
The Solution: Balancing AI and Human Intelligence
AI is not the enemy. The real issue is how we use it. Here’s how developers can balance AI assistance with critical thinking and deep learning:
1. Use AI as an Assistant, Not a Replacement
AI should be a supporting tool, not your primary source of information. Use it to clarify doubts or generate ideas, but always validate and cross-check important details.
2. Read the Full Document First
Before asking AI for a summary, go through the document yourself. This will help you understand the structure, key details, and any potential challenges. After that, you can use AI to refine or confirm your understanding.
3. Take Notes & Break Down the Problem Yourself
Instead of blindly following AI-generated solutions, try writing down your own approach first. Sketch workflows, identify dependencies, and list potential issues. This improves retention and strengthens problem-solving skills.
4. Ask for Explanations after you have tried your best
When using AI tools, don’t just ask for code or a summary – ask for explanations. For example, instead of saying, “Give me a function for X,” ask “How should I approach X? What are the key considerations?”
5. Encourage a Culture of Deep Learning
If you’re managing a team, set an example by emphasizing thorough research, structured thinking, and deep discussions. Encourage juniors to read, analyze, and explain their understanding before relying on AI.
Conclusion: AI Should Make Us Smarter, Not Dumber
AI is a powerful tool, but like any tool, it depends on how we use it. If developers rely on AI to think for them, they risk losing their problem-solving ability, critical thinking, and attention to detail.
The key is balance. Use AI to speed up tasks, but don’t skip the learning process. Read, analyze, and think deeply before seeking shortcuts. If we use AI correctly, it can enhance our skills instead of replacing them.
The next time you’re tempted to ask AI to summarize a document, write a function, or debug code, pause. Ask yourself: “Am I skipping this because it’s hard, or because it’s efficient?”
shhs nice post