The Digital Press

A seasoned software engineer warns that over-reliance on large language models (LLMs) in coding can undermine critical thinking and degrade code quality over time. While LLMs can speed up code generation, they cannot replace the deep understanding and design insight human engineers provide.

Why it matters: Excessive dependence on LLMs risks producing flawed, complex, and hard-to-maintain code, accelerating long-term technical debt.

The big picture: True programming is about building and maintaining a mental model of software design, a skill LLMs lack due to limited context memory.

The stakes: Ignoring program theory and entropy leads to skill atrophy, loss of creativity, and potential organizational decline in engineering quality.

Commenters say: Many appreciate the nuanced critique of AI’s limits, highlighting AI’s role as a productivity tool but warning against sacrificing deep engineering skills.