How I Learned to Work With AI—Not For It

For a long time, I avoided using AI in programming, fearing it would make me dependent and weaken my skills. But under pressure to deliver a project fast, I gave it a try—and was amazed by how much time it saved. However, that speed came at a cost. In my next project, I relied too heavily on AI, only to realize I couldn’t navigate my own codebase. This post is about finding the balance: how to use AI as a powerful tool without letting it take over your thinking.