I found that early and often code reviews can offset the reduction in productivity. A good code review process can fix this.
AI coding tools can reduce productivity
31–40 of 284 posts
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is this because they had the entire web to train on, code + output and semantics in every page?
It's moreso that a backend developer can now throw together a frontend and vice-versa without relying on a team member or needing to set aside time to internalize all the necessary concepts to just make that other part of the system work. I imagine even a full-stack developer will find benefits.
So we are all back to be webmasters :)
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#33This entire concept hinges on AI not getting better. If you believe AI is going continue to get better at the current ~5-10% a month range, then hand waiving over developer productivity today is about the same thing as writing an article about the internet being a fad in 1999.
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#34What bothers me more than any of this particular discussion is that we seem to be incapable of determining programmer productivity in a meaningful way since my debut as a programmer 40 years ago.
what about the $ you make? isn't that an indicator? you've probably made more than me, so you are more successful while both of us might be doing the same thing.
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#35This entire concept hinges on AI not getting better. If you believe AI is going continue to get better at the current ~5-10% a month range, then hand waiving over developer productivity today is about the same thing as writing an article about the internet being a fad in 1999.
On the flip side, why would I use AI today if it presents no immediate benefit. Why not wait 5 years and see if it becomes actually helpful.
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#36What bothers me more than any of this particular discussion is that we seem to be incapable of determining programmer productivity in a meaningful way since my debut as a programmer 40 years ago.
what about the $ you make? isn't that an indicator? you've probably made more than me, so you are more successful while both of us might be doing the same thing.
I don't think there's much of a correlation there.
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#37I’ve been around tech for a long time. At this point, I’ve lost count of how many hype cycles I’ve seen hit the “hold on, everything sucks” stage. Generative AI is seemingly at the hold on, everything sucks stage and it’s getting repetitive.
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Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#38What if this is true? And then we as a developer community are focused on the wrong thing to increase productivity? Like what if by focusing on LLMs for productivity we just reinforce old-bad habits, and get into a local maxima... And even worse, what if being stuck with current so-so patterns, languages, etc means we don't innovate in language design, tooling, or other areas that might actually be productivity wins?
imagine having interstate highways built in one night you wake up and you have all these highways and roads and everyone is confused what they are and how to use them. using llm is the opposite of boiling frogs because you're not the leader writing, you're just suggesting... i just realized i might not know what im talking about.
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#39What bothers me more than any of this particular discussion is that we seem to be incapable of determining programmer productivity in a meaningful way since my debut as a programmer 40 years ago.
what about the $ you make? isn't that an indicator? you've probably made more than me, so you are more successful while both of us might be doing the same thing.
Productivity has zero to do with salary. Case in point: FOSS.
Some of the most productive devs don't get paid by the big corps who make use of their open source projects, hence the constant urging of corps and people to sponsor projects they make money via.
Re: AI coding tools can reduce productivity
#40What if this is true? And then we as a developer community are focused on the wrong thing to increase productivity? Like what if by focusing on LLMs for productivity we just reinforce old-bad habits, and get into a local maxima... And even worse, what if being stuck with current so-so patterns, languages, etc means we don't innovate in language design, tooling, or other areas that might actually be productivity wins?
We were stuck near local maxima since before LLM's came on the scene. I figure the same concentration of innovators are gonna innovate, now LLM assisted, and the same concentration of best-practice folk are gonna best-practice--now LLM assisted. Local maxima might get sticker, but greener pastures will be found more quickly than ever.
I expect it'll balance.