the AI cost curve isn't what people think

people say AI is getting cheap. tokens cost less. models get faster.

that does not mean building software got cheaper for me.

AI helps me draft faster. the hard part is still the same. checking the work. fixing edge cases. making it fit the rest of the system.

so the slow part moves. it does not go away.

AI is useful when i know what i want and can spot bad output. if i don't, i just get wrong code faster.

i also don't buy the idea that you can drop experienced people and replace them with more AI. those people know why the system is weird. they know what broke last time. the model doesn't.

in my own work, more AI means more checking. more cleanup. more judgment. the generation part is only one piece.

i keep the workflows that save me time. i drop the ones that don't.

AI helps when i already think clearly. it does not replace that.