Cheap Code, Expensive Confidence

The author argues that using coding agents to generate software creates an illusion of cheap progress while hiding expensive verification and learning costs. While agents can quickly produce most of an application's implementation, developers still must invest significant effort into auditing behavior, establishing data expectations, and resolving uncertainties. Furthermore, delegating entire tasks can deprive less-experienced engineers of essential learning opportunities, suggesting that teams should carefully choose which implementation steps to retain for human reasoning. Open article →