By now you have probably used AI and had a good play with ChatGPT. Maybe you’re worried it’s going to steal your job. I’ve been there – when I first heard about ChatGPT, I definitely had some concerns.
But here’s the thing: after spending countless hours actually using AI tools in my web development work, I’ve realised something important. AI isn’t the boogeyman, and it’s definitely not a magic wand either. It’s just another tool in our toolbox, albeit a pretty impressive one.
Let’s Get Real About AI
Think about it like this: when calculators became widespread, people freaked out. “Nobody will learn maths anymore!” they said. But what actually happened? We started using calculators for the boring, repetitive stuff so we could focus on solving more complex problems.
That’s exactly what’s happening with AI tools today. They’re not replacing human creativity or decision-making – they’re just handling the grunt work so we can focus on the interesting stuff.
How I Actually Use AI in My Work
In my day-to-day as the Web Lead at Smith, I use AI, specifically Claude Sonnet & ChatGPT (API) for things like:
Debugging code
If I’m stuck on a particularly difficult piece of code, pasting the code into an AI tool will help me understand the error with the code and will usually suggest a fix that works. This process often takes a bit of back and forth and I would never accept it to rewrite the code in a way that I no longer understand it.
Commenting Code
If you’re a developer, you are probably like me and don’t always comment your code, even though we all know we should. This is important to help you fix problems in the future but also if another developer or a junior has to pick up your some tasks on a project. I can paste a block of code (maybe 60 lines) and it will bunch up functionalities and add comments every couple of lines to explain what the code does.
Brainstorming different approaches to problems
We only know what we know and in this game, there’s often many many ways to accomplish specific functionality on a website. If I have an idea in my head, I can use AI as a soundboard to get other ways to get to my outcome. Sometimes the code I write might have an impact on a website’s speed. AI can then tell me why and suggest an alternative way.
Notice something? In every case, AI is helping me work faster and smarter – but it’s not doing the thinking for me. I’m still the one making the important decisions, understanding the context, and ensuring everything actually makes sense for our clients.
The Real Magic is in the Collaboration
Here’s what I’ve learnt: AI works at its best when you treat it like an assistant. It can help you explore ideas, catch obvious mistakes, and handle routine tasks. But you need to:
- Double-check what it produces
- Understand what you’re asking for
- Know when to trust your own judgement
- Recognise when AI isn’t the right tool for the job
Moving Forward Together
Let’s cut through all the nonsense. AI isn’t going to steal your job, and it’s not going to solve all your problems either. It’s really useful when you know how to use it properly, but that’s all it is. The real question we should be asking isn’t whether robots are going to take over – it’s how we can get stuck in and make the most of what AI can do. At the end of the day, it’s just like any other bit of tech – it’s only as good as the person using it.
I’m always interested in hearing other perspectives on this topic. Drop a comment below or connect with me on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.