AI Made It Easy… But Did We Get Better?

AI made it easy. Tasks that once took hours (writing code, drafting content, even debugging) now take minutes. But here's the uncomfortable question: Did we use that time to get better? Or just to do the same things faster?

As someone who started programming with books, print statements, and pre-Git rituals, I've watched the evolution of tools with awe and caution. Because while the tech keeps improving, I'm not always sure we are. This isn't a rant against AI, it's a reminder that the point of powerful tools is to raise the bar, not just lower the effort.

AI won't replace your job, it's a tool to boost efficiency. When CEOs say "AI first," what they're really saying is: why not become more efficient?

And they're not wrong, but here's the catch: many people adopt AI to assist with their job, then stop there. They don't expand their understanding, deepen their skills, or raise their output. The job stays the same. AI just makes it easier. So instead of accomplishing more, we sometimes end up doing less.

We need leadership messaging that goes beyond "AI first." The real message should be: with AI assistance, our expectations should rise.

I learned programming from books. Debugging meant print() things out.
Before StackOverflow, we posted questions to forums and waited, sometimes days, for responses.

Living through that evolution gives me real perspective on today's tools: LLMs, agents, Copilot, and whatever comes next. And while I love how far we've come, I worry about what we're skipping.

I meet "excellent coders" who can't function without Copilot. They can write code, but they don't understand what it's doing underneath.

Back in my day, "Save As" was our source control.

Yes, I'm showing my age, but I'm also making a point:

Force yourself to live without something to learn how to live with it.

Try turning off the AI for a while. Write the code yourself.
Get stuck. Google. Read. Struggle. That friction sharpens you.
Then turn Copilot back on, and see how much further you can go.