My Approach: Leveraging AI to Boost Development

I consider myself one of the top coders in my environment, but I reject the notion of being a "10x" coder. Instead, I believe I perform twice as fast as my peers with significantly fewer errors. If I evaluate my overall contributions, I might claim I'm ten times more effective than the rest.

When AI tools became available, my first thought was to integrate them to improve my coding process. Here are my favorite applications for Copilot and ChatGPT:

• Asking simple questions
• Conducting preliminary code reviews
• Gaining insights into my colleagues’ challenges and potential solutions, even if I'm not fully versed in the technology
• Generating boilerplate code without the tedium
• Suggesting meaningful names for methods and variables

These functionalities may seem basic, yet they enhance my productivity. Naming variables has always been a struggle for me, and with AI's help, I've found it easier to articulate my thoughts and arrive at solutions.

The Coder Mindset: Navigating Challenges

While some coders thrive on new technology, many exhibit a different kind of apathy. This includes:

• Coders resistant to learning
• Coders uninterested in coding
• Coders solely motivated by financial gain

I’ve encountered developers, like my colleague Chirag, who lack fundamental skills in their field. For example, Chirag, a Java middleware developer, struggles with basic HTTP requests, illustrating a gap in essential knowledge.

These less proficient coders lack the insight to effectively utilize AI tools, and their slow, error-prone coding practices highlight their need for assistance. Unfortunately, I'm limited to less than an hour of productive coding daily due to the disparity in skill levels within my team.

The Organizational Landscape: Gaps in AI Policy

In my current workplace, AI is not an integral part of our strategy. There's no established policy regarding its use, unlike at companies like Amazon, which have frameworks to safeguard intellectual property.

Instead, I find myself in an environment where the potential risks of AI go unacknowledged. This raises several uncertainties for me:

• Is it permissible to access my GitHub Copilot account at work?
• Can I safely ask ChatGPT questions involving confidential data?
• Is it acceptable to use external code in my projects?

Moreover, I question why I should subsidize my employer’s expenses by using my paid accounts. Consequently, I often transfer code from my work computer to my personal device for processing, which is inefficient but avoids scrutiny.

The Future of Software Development: AI and Human Potential

What lies ahead for AI in coding? Will we become cyborgs? It's likely. However, I suspect my current company, filled with less skilled developers, may not withstand the evolution. Although I believe my colleagues would greatly benefit from AI, I also foresee them being the first to face redundancy as AI tools evolve to produce efficient, maintainable, and innovative code.

In conclusion, AI is transforming competent developers into mere overseers of technology. For those struggling, the gap only widens. I can see my colleagues trailing behind, with little chance of catching up.