A Senior Engineer's Framework for Knowing When Not to Use AI in Products
A senior software engineer presents a practical decision framework for determining when NOT to use AI in product development. The framework centers on two key dimensions: specification clarity (clear vs. unclear) and consequence severity (low vs. high). When specs are clear and consequences are low, AI agents can be safely deployed. But when specs are unclear and consequences are high, engineers should avoid AI and rely on traditional deterministic approaches. The article provides honest guidance on AI's real limitations in production environments.
Key quotes
Clear spec, low consequence: let the agent run.
Unclear spec, high consequence: put the tool down.
A senior engineer's honest map of AI's real limits in product development.
From the article
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