ai is making you a bad programmer.

AI coding assistants may diminish critical thinking and programming skills through overreliance, as studies show reduced problem-solving abilities compared to manual coding. The impact depends on your goals: purists who view coding as a craft should minimize AI use to maintain deep expertise, while those focused on business outcomes can leverage AI as operators. Senior engineers have the advantage of choosing either path, though many resist AI due to ego or outdated perceptions. The key tension is between skill atrophy from AI dependence versus increased productivity for delivering business value.