NOTE: While I am mainly referencing development, this can be applied to any domain, including personal hobbies.
I’ve been seeing a ton of chatter about AI in dev circles lately, and honestly, it feels like most folks are missing the real opportunity here. Everywhere I look, people are treating these AI tools like a fancy search engine or just a quicker way to grab code. Or maybe like Stack Overflow, but without the snarky comments. But trust me, that’s barely scratching the surface of what AI can actually do for developers.
I’m still pretty new to all this myself (still trying to figure out which “best practices” are actually worth a damn), so if you’re in the same boat, I get it if you’re rolling your eyes at all the AI hype. But here’s the deal: If you’re only using AI for quick answers, you’re missing out on most of the good stuff.
AI: Not Just a Search Engine, Think Study Buddy That Never Clocks Out
After messing around with these tools for a few months, here’s where I landed. AI is way more valuable as a thinking partner than some glorified Q and A bot. Sure, you can ask, “What’s the difference between map and forEach in JavaScript?” and get a textbook answer. But honestly, you could just Google that and move on. The real magic happens when you treat it more like a peer, or if you’re lucky, like a mentor who doesn’t get annoyed when you ask the same question for the hundredth time.
I kind of stumbled into this by accident. I was prepping for a React interview (which, by the way, is a nightmare on its own), and after doing all the LeetCode and “top 50 React questions” stuff, I still felt like I was winging it. So I asked ChatGPT to act like an interviewer, actually wait for my answers, roast me a little, push me to explain stuff, and only move on when I’d actually nailed it.
And, man, it was a totally different experience. Suddenly, it felt like a real conversation. I’d fumble through my answer, get immediate feedback, and sometimes it would challenge me: “Okay, now explain that to a junior dev,” or “What happens if the component unmounts during an async call?” You just don’t get that kind of back and forth from Google. It’s a whole new vibe.
Real Time Audio: The Power Up Nobody Talks About
Here’s something I totally didn’t see coming. Doing these AI “interviews” out loud, in real time, is a game changer. Typing gives you time to think, edit, or even sneak in a quick search. But talking? Way more pressure. It’s so much closer to a real interview. You start to notice where you freeze up, where your explanations are trash, or when you just start using buzzwords because you actually have no idea what you’re saying.
I tried a couple tools that let you talk to GPT with your voice (there’s a bunch now, some are even free), and honestly, at first, it felt super cringey. But after a few tries, I swear, my thinking started to get sharper. It’s like mental gym reps. Plus, you can ask the AI to interrupt you: “Wait, can you explain what you mean by ‘side effect’?” It’s rough, but honestly, that’s what real interviews feel like.
Filling in All Those Weird Knowledge Gaps
Let’s be real, we all have random gaps in our knowledge. Maybe you’re a backend wizard but can’t center a div to save your life. Or you know all about REST APIs but “closure” just makes your brain short circuit. Here’s where AI is actually awesome. It doesn’t judge, doesn’t get bored, and doesn’t care if you need the basics explained for the millionth time.
You can literally say, “I keep mixing up ‘let’ and ‘var.’ Can you walk me through it, then quiz me until I stop screwing it up?” Or, “Why do dependency arrays matter in useEffect? Explain it like I’m five, then like I’m a senior dev, and then give me a tiny project to try.” Try asking a coworker to do that ten times in a row. AI? No problem. Infinite patience.
Don’t Fall Into the “Copy Paste Code Monkey” Trap
One thing I see everywhere: junior devs using AI to just spit out code snippets and then dropping them into their project. It feels productive, but you’re not actually learning anything. It’s like using GPS for every trip. You never learn your way around.
Instead, when you get a code snippet from AI, ask it to break down the logic.
- “What’s going on in this loop?”
- “Why use reduce instead of map?”
- “What would break if I changed this to a const?”
Push back. Argue. Sometimes it’ll give you a totally wrong answer, so call it out! That’s how you learn to spot bugs and bad habits.
I even have it review my own code, not just for bugs, but for style, readability, and edge cases. Sometimes its feedback is off, but a lot of times it points out stuff I hadn’t even thought about. It’s like having a second set of eyes, twenty four seven.
It’s All About Building a Habit
Here’s the real trick: you gotta make a habit of using AI this way. It’s not a one off thing, it’s a muscle you build over time. Every time you hit a wall, or get that “uh, I should know this” feeling, throw it at the AI. But don’t just take the answer and bounce. Make it a conversation. Ask for follow ups, different explanations, or even memes if that helps you remember.
I started a doc where I dump all my “dumb questions” to GPT, along with the best answers. Sometimes I’ll scroll back and realize, dang, I actually get this stuff now. And when it comes up for real, I’m not caught off guard. I already struggled through it with my AI study buddy.
AI: Not a Shortcut, But a Career Power Up
This is the thing I wish someone had told me way earlier. Using AI as a partner doesn’t make you lazy. If anything, it makes you sharper. You’re not outsourcing your brain, you’re actually leveling up your ability to explain, reason, and adapt. The people who use AI as a shortcut are going to get stuck in junior roles forever. But the ones who use it to fill in gaps, stress test their understanding, and practice real stuff? They’re the ones who move up fast.
And honestly, tech isn’t getting any simpler. More tools, more buzzwords, more stuff to keep up with. AI isn’t going anywhere. It’s just getting more powerful and more baked into how we work. If you start building the habit now, you’re not just keeping up, you’re actually getting ahead.
Some Actual Ways to Use AI as a Dev Partner
- Mock Interviews: Seriously, have it quiz you, critique you, and throw curveballs. Use audio if you can. It’s awkward, but so worth it.
- Code Reviews: Paste your code, ask for feedback, and push back on suggestions. Don’t just accept everything.
- Personal Tutor: Own your weak spots and ask for lessons, quizzes, or even goofy analogies. Make it teach you until it sticks.
- Project Planning: Brainstorm ideas, sketch out architectures, or debug sticky problems. It’s like rubber duck debugging, except the duck actually talks back.
- Learning New Tech: Have it explain new frameworks, compare tools, or walk you through setup. Don’t be shy to ask for the “explain like I’m five” version.
- Daily Standups: Try summarizing your day to it and get feedback on what could be improved. Weirdly helpful.
The Real Secret? It’s Still You
At the end of the day, AI is just another tool in your kit. It’s not going to magically make you a superstar developer overnight. But if you approach it as a genuine partner, willing to challenge you and help you grow, you’ll get way more out of it than just quick fixes or copy pasted code. Most people will stick to using AI the easy way, but if you’re willing to dig deeper, ask questions, and actually learn, you’ll see real progress over time.
So don’t be afraid to experiment, make it part of your routine, and let it push you to be better. If it helps you land that job or finally master closures, it’s totally worth it. Turns out, AI’s a lot more useful and fun than I ever expected.
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