In January 2025, after many years of excuses, I decided it was finally time to learn how to code. As I did research to find the best online resources for learning, I was confronted with many articles claiming “Coding is dead,” or “ChatGPT is here to take your job.” These warnings delayed my decision to start by another couple weeks, but eventually I decided I had nothing better to do.
I was instantly hooked. The ability to manipulate machines that have become so ubiquitous in my life was empowering. My engineering brain was enamored by the structure and logic. It was an exploration of a world that I previously knew so little about. After several months of learning the basics, I decided it was time to test out the latest tools and see what all the hype was about.
I fondly remember my first agentic experience. I provided a prompt to Cursor, and then a magical entity took control of my laptop and began writing code. I opened my browser to see if it worked, and everything appeared to be running smoothly. Once I got the hang of it, I continued to iterate at a rapid pace.
After an exhilarating three days of work, these were the final stats:
- 10,000 new lines of code
- 2 git commits
- 0 unit tests
If you’re familiar with programming, you will realize the agent wasn’t exactly following software engineering best practices. When I finally sat down to analyze the outputs, I realized most of the codebase was what the experts refer to as slop. The agent created a lot of cool new features within those three days, but I had to spend the next three cleaning up its mess.
This is not to say that AI tools are useless. They just require some wisdom to be used effectively.
Twenty years ago, an inexperienced programmer would have had to spend days parsing through documentation just to create a basic webpage. Now, a 12-year old with a knack for technology can build a full-stack application in an afternoon. But what that 12-year old doesn’t have is decades of trial and error solving complex problems in the real world.
I realized in my vibe coding journey that shiny UIs and prototypes are fairly straightforward. AI tools can get you 80% of the way there, but the last 20% involves decisions best not left to the model. Not because it lacks information, but because it lacks consequences. That judgment only develops through experience, through making decisions that have real stakes and living with the outcomes.
However, when given proper guidance, an agent can execute the details at superhuman speed. Now, one's mental energy can be focused on the bigger picture.
I created the prototype for this website in ten minutes without writing a single line of code. I have subsequently spent dozens of hours meticulously crafting the contents to match the aesthetic I initially envisioned. Claude Code allowed me to rapidly iterate between the various options, but the final result was achieved through hours of careful consideration.
The advantage of combining domain expertise with artificial intelligence is not limited to software engineering.
A graphic artist with great taste can rapidly produce images in Midjourney that still maintain their distinct style. A teacher that knows how to connect with students can deploy agents to build personalized curriculum for each kid, adapting in real time to where they're struggling. A lawyer that knows the nuances of a case can direct an agent through thousands of documents to surface the relevant precedents.
But speed is not always the goal. Knowing when to take control is just as important as knowing when to delegate.
I limit my use of AI during the creative writing process. I use writing as a tool to crystallize my thinking. I will allow the model to advise me on the structure of my arguments, or to check my grammar, but first drafts are always written without assistance. If I allow the model to dictate my style, then my writing will begin to sound like millions of other people using the same tools.
In an age of unlimited content creation, distinct style will stand out from the rest.
If the work you do can be accomplished by chaining together words from the contents of the internet, you might be in trouble. But if you’re working on something that can only be accomplished by someone with your unique lived experience, the future will be full of opportunity.