“I started to lose my ability to code”: developers grapple with the real cost of AI programming tools

A growing debate among developers is unfolding around AI coding tools like Claude Code and LLMs. Senior programmers report renewed passion and dramatically increased productivity, with some reviving abandoned projects and feeling empowered as solo founders. However, concerns are mounting: one engineer reported losing her ability to code after months of heavy AI use, others warn about architectural decay and spaghetti code from vibe-coding, and the junior developer pipeline faces an existential threat as LLMs replace entry-level work. The divide appears to split between those who enjoy the act of coding itself versus those who care primarily about getting working code shipped. Developer burnout from operating AI agent swarms is also emerging as an unexpected side effect.