Artifice

Two years ago I wrote about why I don’t use Copilot. I still don’t use Copilot. But I have since started using Claude Code, which is arguably worse. Why am I using it? Well, as a software developer I felt like I had to understand it, because so many of my colleagues and collaborators have started using it. Once things moved beyond relatively simple code completion I needed to understand what it was capable of, and what to look for in its work when reviewing code. I also had a good friend walk me through how he used it (and how he didn’t) which was extremely helpful. I think my arguments before still stand, but it has been just impossible to avoid this juggernaut of negative externalities, while continuing work in this profession I have found myself. The web is full of posts and threads about how people are using “agentic coding” tools like Claude Code. So I will spare you that. But one thing that has struck me is how much of the work I had previously thought of as creative was in fact…