I only worry about what I can do with a tool, not what it can do for me. So the current AI hype doesn't cater to my needs when it wants us to take a backseat.

Ibrahim Diallo

A developer reflects on the polarized debate around AI tools, arguing that consensus will never be reached because AI is simply a capable tool — not a revolution or a disaster. Using an analogy about buying a stud finder at Home Depot, the author makes the case that what matters is what you personally can accomplish with a tool, not its theoretical capabilities or the hype surrounding it. The author dismisses both the AI maximalist and AI skeptic camps, advocating for a pragmatic, goal-oriented approach to tool adoption.

We Are Not Going to Agree on AI

<p>This is such a good analogy especially with today’s complex AI world. Any site I visit all have these new AI features which really I don’t even need at all. I agree, AI is definitely a tool, and will only be as good as the one who uses it.</p>


<p>This was a good, simple analogy. It kind of cuts through a lot of the hype that we get bombarded with every day.  Often, as developers, we’re encouraged to learn and use new tools, but we also have timelines to consider. We rarely get extra time to take on these types of things, so I guess it becomes a priority management issue: taking the time to become proficient with the tool and weighing its benefits against current practices. Usually we’re caught in a juggling act of managing time for family, job productivity, deadlines, personal growth, and some sort of life outside the confines of our profession.
Yes, we need to continue learning and grow in our professional capabilities, but also be mindful of how we use our time, it’s the one resource we have that is not replenishable.  Just avoid rabbit holes behind the hypet that we hear daily</p>
