"How has AI changed the way you build software, and where is it just hype?"

I don't think AI in software development is hype. For me, it's been a complete game changer.

Power Tools vs Primitive Tools

The way I describe it is this: Before AI, even with all the tools we had, going back to coding the way we used to feels like using primitive tools in a world where power tools exist.

The Speed Difference

If I had to build a product today without agentic coding, I could. I could sit down, write all the code, and build a solid product in a week or two.

With AI, I can build that same product, with the same code and architecture, in an hour or two.

It feels wasteful now to not use it.

Experience Matters

I'm lucky that I spent twenty years writing code without AI. That means I can guide it:

• I know what I want
• I know how it should be structured
• I know what the tradeoffs are

AI is my hands, not my brain.

I'm not asking it "what should I build" or "what stack should I use." I'm telling it exactly that.

Not Going Back

It just types faster than I do. It can multitask in ways I can't.

So no, I don't see a world where I go back.