In this essay, Carson Gross discusses whether or not current AI tools are similar to early compilers

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Carson Gross argues that comparing AI coding tools to compilers and the shift from assembly to high-level languages is fundamentally flawed. Key differences: LLMs are non-deterministic while compilers are; prompts are not saved source code and cannot serve as a reproducible artifact; there is no equivalent to a debugger for prompts. Claims like 'I haven't written any code in months' are misleading because the code artifacts still exist and must be read to understand or debug. Gross is not anti-AI but cautions against oversimplified analogies that obscure real differences in how AI-generated code is produced, understood, and maintained.

> htmx ~ AI & Compilers

“I haven’t written any code in months!”

<p>Judging by the summary, it probably was an interesting read. It’s gone now… 404.</p>
