CIRCLE WITH A DOT

This is a clear, short explanation of some of the dynamics underlying software delivery velocity, and what does vs doesn't change with AI

While it's debatable exactly what or how much we need to understand about a system (when no single person can comprehend the entirety of modern complex systems) — we need to comprehend *something* about the manifested behavior of the software we deliver (with the security capabilities and infrastructure platform capabilities being nontrivial aspects of this).

Jesse Landry argues rightly that when velocity outpaces comprehension, fragility compounds on the gap between knowledge and reality. In other words, another form of tech debt.
https://www.devcuration.com/the-velocity-trap/

This is an honest post about some of the practical challenges of being a software engineer using AI.

Siddhant shares concrete relatable examples of many common experiences among software engineers, from context switching and code review fatigue to tool churn and engineering perfectionism clashing with nondeterministic AI output.

Siddhant also suggests specific practical changes to help software engineers struggling with the daily habits around coding with AI. (These are probably most useful to early-mid career folks as they're lessons likely already learned by more senior folks, but could be worth sharing with colleagues!)
https://siddhantkhare.com/writing/ai-fatigue-is-real

@BoredomFestival strong agree — if it exhausts you, then it isn't sustainable. That's why I think it's akin to trying to maintain hyperfocus 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, consistently. It's just not feasible for humans in the long-term.

@doomsey what don't you accept about it?

@BoredomFestival this has at least some good points and some 🤨🫣🫠

“So I guess what I’m trying to say is, the new workday should be three to four hours.“

Yup! That's what every worker knows and should have been fighting for with solidarity for decades. Every neurodivergent person knows that we can't do concentrated work for more than 3 hours, and that extended hyperfocus blocks drain our energy for the next day. It's not sustainable.

Steve Yegge writes about how AI + Capitalism creates an energy vampire https://steve-yegge.medium.com/the-ai-vampire-eda6e4f07163