Is AI Making Us Dumb 📺 Episode 5

Don’t Let AI Make You Dumb

I have been testing out GitHub’s agent mode on Visual Studio Code Insiders. It is really impressive to be able to chat in natural language and have a back and forth to write code. I’ve found it still requires general know how to get the best results. Though I am excited to use it to quickly prototype creative concepts so our team can iterate and build on top of its output.

The thing that makes these tools interesting to me is iterating with them. That requires a solid understanding of the fundamentals on the platforms and technologies you’re working in. Not only to modify it but to guide the tool.

On Hacker News, Namanyay Goel argues AI is Creating a Generation of Illiterate Programmers. My first thought (from only looking at the title) was “that’s an overreaction”, but as I read the article and considered it along my experiences (novel idea!), I understand where the author is coming from.

It is easy to become overly reliant on any tool. Especially if you’re using AI tools to generate code without bothering to understand the output. We have plenty of frameworks for developing faster (Tailwind, React, etc.), but you still should understand the fundamentals to get the most out of it.

AI tools will help to democratize coding which is a net-win in my book. I’m all for more people being able to create things and not gate-keeping building for the web. That will result in more slop code, sure, but it also won’t replace the need for deep knowledge and understanding of coding in creating the best digital products.

AI tools are getting more powerful and you should consider how you’re using them in your workflow to make sure you’re still learning and not becoming overly reliant.

Into the Metaverse!

I’m admittedly a nerd for new tech. I’ve always liked tinkering, whether its running cable through my parent’s house so I could play Dreamcast online or, slightly more recently, getting a 3D printer.

Virtual Reality (VR) has always piqued my interest as something that is cool for playing golf in my living room when its 20 degrees out, but hard to see going mainstream outside of gaming. Not interesting enough for me to spend billions of dollars developing the tech, but I’m cool with someone else doing it.

Augmented Reality (AR) does seem like a potentially promising area for more adoption. Meta’s Ray-Bans are interesting to me and more so once they have some form of display. That’s why I was surprised to hear Apple scrapped plans for their own AR glasses. (Or maybe not).

Apple Vision Pro looks like a cool tool, but even for the kid that figured out broadband to play Dreamcast that $3,500 price tag is a little too hefty. (If Apple wants to send me one I’d gladly give it some use.) I always assumed Vision Pro was released to get a better understanding for how people will eventually interact with a more portable, sleeker version of AR.

It does feel promising from a next step in wearables and AI integration. Though there are some very legitimate privacy concerns to figure out.

More on the Metaverse

Meta says this is the make or break year for the metaverse

Shareables

Neat - First glimpse inside burnt scroll after 2,000 years
Speaking of the power of iterative AI, it is allowing for revealing the writings within a scroll that can’t be unfurled without destroying it.

📚 Read - The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
I’m trying to make my yearly theme to create and this was my first read in January. Its a quick read with some interesting insights.

🎧 Listen - Cortex Podcast
Speaking of yearly themes. I stole it from my boss, who stole it from Cortex. Their latest episode on it for 2025 is a good introduction.

Term of the Day

Next Time On

Microsoft is out here creating new states of matter for quantum computing and estimating projects by vibes.

Hit reply and let me know your thoughts?