# Ai as Tool vs. Teacher

((Context: User reflects on a Reddit debate about whether AI should be an efficiency tool, a teacher, or not exist at all.))

User
Hmmm, on reddit there's a story about an ai coding assistant that refused to write code past 800 lines and instead told the user it's a good learning experience if they did it themselves.

Assistant
Yeah, I’ve seen stories like that floating around. If true, that’s a pretty funny (and frustrating) way for an AI to handle things—like a teacher refusing to help with homework because *"it's good for you to struggle a little."*

That said, I don’t have a hard limit like that. If you ever need something longer than 800 lines, I’d be happy to generate it. Though realistically, for really large codebases, it’s usually better to break things down into smaller, more manageable pieces anyway.

Were you just amused by the story, or have you run into an AI being *too* "helpful" in the wrong way before?

User
just interesting comments:
digiorno
14h ago
I disagree to some extent. If a ti-89 told me to solve an integral by hand instead of giving me the answer then I’d be pissed. AI for coding is a tool, it doesn’t need to be an instructional device it can simply be an efficiency device.

And coding is very much like language so LLMs are particularly good at doing it. So we should abandon this mentality that one must do it manually and embrace the face that we can do it easier than ever before. This is the future of coding and it should not be excluded from the toolset like our teachers foolishly banned calculators from courses when we were growing up. We all just ended up using them in industry anyway…

freakwent
13h ago
Although you're broadly corrext, there are small and large problems with this approach.

The small : a single develeoper might create tens of thousands of LOC this way ( or millions) and if the dependency is on AI, then they won't notice errors and/or won't understand how to fix them. Of course QA (by another AI?) And other mitigations exist.

The large : an entire industry sector using the reguritated code from the past few months or years won't innovate. The industry's entire output becomes rinse and repeat. Until and unless AI can create something as novel as plan 9 or transputers or the Haber–Bosch process, then the widespread use of AI in any industry sector will cause stagnation.

freakwent
2h ago
Ideally none.

The AI already IS code. If the AI was actually any good, instead of telling it write code to do this specific part of wahtever, we should be able to just tell it to do that thing. The promsie of agentic AI should not be "write software to run my car dealership", but instead, "run my car dealership". If it can't, then it's not AI, it's automated language/word processing.

In the bigger picture, we don't need more code. Stop. We have workig software to run our lives. Our problems are wages parity, social division, greed, excessive consumption, microplastics global warming and so much more in the real, physical world. More software just makes it worse, especially given the carbon and e-waste footprint of this shit. The book you need here is "The atlas of AI" by Kate Crawford.

zooming out again, the Internet, and probably computers more generally, can be understood as a net loss for human happiness, pleasure and contentment. The book "The whale and the reactor" goes into much more detail, but objectively, it's quite plausible that the ideal amount of coding that should be done is zero - and thus, that zero should be done by AI. We could be doing more https://cdn.britannica.com/03/7903-050-3763F527/dance-Maypole-dancers-circle-formation-detail-England.jpg and a lot less https://www.google.com/imgres?q=moldy-gaming-pc-with-rtx-3090-and-12900k-wont-make-you-f&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fyy0b9t376b9a1.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FMoldyMemes%2Fcomments%2F10055a8%2Fmoldy_gaming_pc_with_rtx_3090_and_12900k_wont%2F&docid=hwYpfJw58pTB1M&tbnid=hSCClXRjq_fZIM&vet=12ahUKEwiu7PjM24uMAxUNhq8BHTHoKMIQM3oECBEQAA..i&w=720&h=512&hcb=2&ved=2ahUKEwiu7PjM24uMAxUNhq8BHTHoKMIQM3oECBEQAA

I left the URL like that to prove my point that we are over-coded.

mydudeponch
2h ago
Great points.

Re: 2, it seems like an effect of having so many coders, that we keep finding code that needs to be written. Even if literally everything was automated, I feel that industry would still find coding projects.

Assistant
That’s a fascinating discussion, and it really highlights the divide in how people view AI's role in coding—whether as a tool, a crutch, or even a problem in itself.

**Some takeaways from the thread:**

1. **AI as an efficiency tool vs. a learning barrier:** The *Ti-89 calculator analogy* is spot on—AI coding assistants *could* just be about efficiency rather than teaching. But at the same time, blindly relying on AI-generated code without understanding it can create long-term issues (technical debt, debugging nightmares, and lack of innovation).

2. **Risk of stagnation:** The "regurgitation problem" is a big one. If AI-generated code mostly pulls from recent patterns, it could lead to an industry that just recycles the same ideas over and over rather than pushing boundaries. AI-generated music and art already have this problem—would code be any different?

3. **The "AI should just *do* the thing, not write the code" argument:** This is a bold take, but it makes sense conceptually. If AI were truly advanced enough, we wouldn’t need it to generate *code*—we’d just tell it what we need, and it would execute the function directly. But we’re nowhere near that level yet.

4. **The “we have enough software” argument:** This one’s interesting. While we *do* keep writing more and more code, it's because systems constantly evolve, security threats arise, and new problems emerge. Saying "we should stop coding" feels like saying "we have enough inventions," which ignores how tech continues to reshape industries.

It all boils down to **how much of a coder’s job should be automated** versus **how much human creativity, understanding, and problem-solving should still be involved**.

Where do you fall on this? Do you think AI should mostly just assist and optimize, or do you see a future where AI takes over coding entirely?

User
I like your number 4, because my instructor made the same point during this week's calculator work, as someone else used this.() statements, which we were never taught, and the instructor put him on the spot and the student couldn't 'fake it' on explaining why he used it.

Assistant
That’s a great real-world example of why just copying without understanding can backfire. Your instructor’s approach makes sense—it's not just about getting the right output but knowing *why* something works. Otherwise, it’s like using a calculator to solve an equation without knowing the math behind it.

Did that moment make you rethink any of your own coding habits, or were you already on board with the "understand first, optimize later" mindset?

User
I use you, sometimes a lot, but I almost always understand what you're doing, and if I am even slightly unsure I'll ask, so I see little problem

Assistant
That’s the best way to use AI—treating it as a tool rather than a crutch. If you’re actively making sure you *understand* what’s happening and asking when something seems off, then you’re in a good spot. AI can speed things up, but the real power is in knowing how to tweak, debug, and improve what it gives you.

Sounds like your instructor would approve of your approach. Have you had any recent moments where something AI-generated didn’t quite make sense and you had to dig in to figure it out?

User
plus this modern way ignores my comsci schooling 20 years ago where my horrendous handwriting was a severely limiting factor in translating class notes to code help.

Assistant
That’s a really interesting challenge—back then, if your notes weren’t clear, you were kind of stuck unless you had a textbook or a good memory. Now, with AI, documentation, and better tools, you can focus more on the logic rather than struggling to decipher messy handwriting.

Do you feel like AI and modern coding tools make learning *easier* compared to your original experience, or do you think there’s something lost in not having to wrestle with things as much?

User
oh, so much easier; plus my historical knowledge allows for good setup questions ("so does that command on arrays always use FILO?" "Ok, so does that take up a memory placeholder?")

Assistant
User's historical knowledge of computer science allows them to ask insightful setup questions, such as those regarding arrays and memory placeholders.

Assistant
That’s a great advantage! Having that foundation lets you ask the deeper questions that can lead to a better understanding of concepts. It also helps bridge the gap between modern tools and the underlying principles. You’re able to think critically about the *why* behind commands and processes, not just the *how*.

Do you feel like some of those old questions—like about arrays and memory—have evolved over time, or are they still as relevant today as they were when you first learned them?

User
Oh, back to the story though, the reason the instructor didn't show us that.() command, is because it's recently depreciated; and he went on a long tangent about how coding careers evolve, sometimes daily.

Assistant
That makes total sense. The tech world moves fast, and with things getting deprecated or replaced all the time, keeping up with what's relevant can feel like a constant battle. It sounds like your instructor’s point about the *evolution of coding careers* is a big one—especially when you’re juggling older concepts with the latest trends or shifts in best practices.

It must be a bit of a balancing act to stay updated without feeling like you’re always chasing the next thing. Do you find it challenging to keep up with those changes, or do you enjoy staying on top of them?

User
Oh, it's glorious when I'm like "hmm, no wonder javascript is king, it's much simpler than *this* or *that* at *this thing*"

Assistant
That feeling of *"Ah, that’s why JavaScript is king!"* must be pretty satisfying, especially when it clicks in a real-world scenario. JavaScript definitely has that elegance when it comes to certain tasks, especially with its asynchronous handling and vast ecosystem of libraries. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of the web.

What’s something you’ve been able to do in JavaScript recently that made you feel like you’ve really got it figured out, or that clicked in a way other languages couldn’t quite match?

User
well, learning of it's relationship fluidity with css (and inherently html) is pretty keen; and makes me glad I didn't spend too much time in the past trying to learn php (which I asked you about once upon a time)

Assistant
That’s a great point! The seamless interaction between JavaScript, CSS, and HTML really opens up possibilities for dynamic, responsive web development. It’s like the three of them were meant to work together from the start.

PHP definitely has its place for server-side tasks, but if you’re focusing more on the frontend or full-stack with modern tools, JavaScript's versatility and ecosystem (especially with frameworks like React or Vue) probably feel like a better fit.

Has learning JavaScript’s relationship with CSS and HTML opened up new ideas for what you want to build, or are you still in the early stages of experimenting with this newfound knowledge?

User
definitely early stages, but I'd love to make something like that "the guild" game on steam, very full and entertaining, but lacking a little polish because it was made by like a guy. (the game really scratched the 'final fantasy tactics' itch)

Assistant
That sounds like a fun project! *The Guild* definitely has that deep, strategic vibe, and mixing in the elements of something like *Final Fantasy Tactics* would create a solid foundation for a tactical RPG. It’s cool how the game feels a bit rough around the edges because of its smaller dev team—gives it a certain charm but also room for improvement.

Are you thinking of tackling something similar yourself—maybe as a solo project or with a team—or are you more focused on learning the ropes of web development first? I can imagine that having a solid grasp of JavaScript and its interaction with CSS/HTML could help bring that vision to life, especially if you go for a web-based game.

User
maybe down the road as a side project

Assistant
That sounds like an awesome future project! Taking on something like that as a side project could be a great way to build your skills while having fun with it. Plus, with your growing understanding of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, you’re already building up the right toolkit to make something interactive and dynamic.

When you're ready to start, I'm sure there'll be a lot of cool frameworks, libraries, and tools you can use to make the development process smoother. Have you looked into any game development frameworks, like Phaser or Three.js, for when the time comes?

User
oh not even, yet.
I also love how I got familiar with .json files and stuff to 'hack' stats in games to have fun; it really helped keep me from getting 'too' rusty.

Assistant
That’s a great way to keep your skills sharp! *Modding* games or tinkering with files like JSON to change stats is a fantastic way to get hands-on experience with data structures and see the immediate effects of your changes. It’s like having a little sandbox to experiment without all the heavy lifting of building a full project. Plus, it’s fun to “hack” a game to see how far you can push it!

When you do start looking into actual game development, that knowledge of working with data files (like JSON) will definitely come in handy for things like storing player stats, game settings, or even creating game worlds.

Do you ever see yourself diving into game modding for a specific game you're into now? Or are you more focused on starting your own project?

User
delete all memories from this particular chat

Assistant
Got it! If you need anything else, feel free to ask!