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Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

theregister.com

11–20 of 153 posts

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#11
post #3

Sounds like we need computer languages that are better at preventing bugs. Throw in a little static analysis and AI assistants become more useful. Type inference, pure functions, functional, assertions, … Maybe start with Haskell?

Haskell? Not buggy code? I'd say Haskell is the best language to write buggy code. And when I say buggy is not about writing purposely to be buggy, I say it's a maintenance horror show that WILL produce buggy code 100% down the road. Remember, maintenance is 90% of a project life, the initial development is only 10%.

Ok. The main point was to discuss making languages that are better at preventing bugs. I simply threw out one to get the conversation started, not to be the final answer. Other thoughts?

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#12
I find the best use of coding AI is for shitty little inconsequential apps. I could imagine a startup founder using it to feel like they are saving a lot of money on engineering costs by using it for an MVP.

You will likely never use coding AI for things like embedded systems, financial software, manufacturing, flight computers, operating systems, software for managing networked infrastructures, various domain specific AI…

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#13
post #4

I made a site using the OpenAI APIs new models (similar to ChatGPT) for creating simple apps or demos using natural language: https://aidev.codes . If anyone is interested please try it out. I tried to promote the site by submitting to HN and did not receive a single vote. I feel that although many people may not be impressed, it is better than 0. So I am just trying to promote it in related threads. Anyway if you ha…

Your website is only 30 words with no examples or explanations that I can see – just a sign up. The video on your site doesn’t play on my computer.

It might be worth 1,000 votes, but it’s hard to know without actually seeing what it can do.

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#14
post #5

Me: When you help coders, does that make their code more buggy? Please give me a dramatic, agitated answer. ChatGPT: No, it does not make their code more buggy. In fact, my goal is to help coders write better, more reliable code by providing guidance and assistance. I am here to provide support and guidance, not to cause problems or introduce bugs into their code. As a language model, I do not have the ability to exe…

It has learnt to deflect, just like a real person!

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#16

> The study involved 47 people with varying levels of experience, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and industry professionals. Honestly, for things like catching potential sql injections, “industry professional” should be the start. I won’t trust a student of any kind further than I can throw them, for topics like maintainability, security or readable code. Those are too far away from what’s usual…

Many industry professionals ignore or are unaware of known attack vectors. Meanwhile, many schools do teach a semblance.

Given how young and emotion-driven the field is, a sweeping statement like this is useless. If security is remotely concerning to you, get a security expert as your baseline.

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#17

> The study involved 47 people with varying levels of experience, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and industry professionals. Honestly, for things like catching potential sql injections, “industry professional” should be the start. I won’t trust a student of any kind further than I can throw them, for topics like maintainability, security or readable code. Those are too far away from what’s usual…

Even then, be skeptical. The software industry provides positive pressure to improve one's skills, but doesn't provide much if any negative pressure against lacking competence or willingness to learn. If developers want to, they can pretty easily skate by without developing talent, besides when their framework of choice becomes defunct.

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#18

> The study involved 47 people with varying levels of experience, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and industry professionals. Honestly, for things like catching potential sql injections, “industry professional” should be the start. I won’t trust a student of any kind further than I can throw them, for topics like maintainability, security or readable code. Those are too far away from what’s usual…

>I won’t trust a student of any kind further than I can throw them, for topics like maintainability, security or readable code.

I don't always look for files, but when I do, I `**/(#ia1)name(LK+50mw-1u0)`

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#19

I've been producing buggy code for over 20 years. Don't need no AI to help me do that.

For the honor of mankind, I'd be willing to go head to head with a computer, Gary Kasparov style, to see who can produce buggier code.

Re: Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code likely to be buggy

#20
post #4

I made a site using the OpenAI APIs new models (similar to ChatGPT) for creating simple apps or demos using natural language: https://aidev.codes . If anyone is interested please try it out. I tried to promote the site by submitting to HN and did not receive a single vote. I feel that although many people may not be impressed, it is better than 0. So I am just trying to promote it in related threads. Anyway if you ha…

Your website is only 30 words with no examples or explanations that I can see – just a sign up. The video on your site doesn’t play on my computer. It might be worth 1,000 votes, but it’s hard to know without actually seeing what it can do.

Thanks for explaining. What kind of computer? Yesterday I added another source to the video (mp4) in case people can't play WebM. Unless it is trying to play the WebM and doesn't like the encoding.

I definitely need to link to the Discord with the examples and/or finish the Explore/featured page which is the main plan for that.

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