Whats best, learning with AI or without AI?

Posted by AmbitiousQuarter6564@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 12 comments

So, i have been programming since 2023, i started out with things like roblox studio, ive basically mastered roblox and im also learning python, im working on a new FPS game in roblox with a animator i hired as well, but also, how did i learn programming? Well mainly AI and documentation, mostly AI, and is that good or bad? I feel dumber bcz i learned using AI, programmers back in the day didn’t have AI, and the ones who programmed AI didn’t even have AI too! Idk, everytime i code or script or whatever the fuck i feel stupid for using AI to learn, i know nobody here in this subreddit are psychologists but i felt like i needed to just vent, i can’t even enjoy programming with THAT living in my head, sometimes i feel stupid too with other things like math, i feel stupid bcz my parents got me a tutor instead of me understanding it in school

Note to mods: This post is not praising AI or is AI generated

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dashkb@reddit

The ones who programmed AI did, in fact, use it. They use it the most.

Paxtian@reddit

Learning is good regardless of how it's accomplished. The real question is, have you actually learned how to do things, or do you just do things using an AI assistant? Could you build something on your own without AI to help you?

Using AI as an assistant can be a very fast way to debug an issue. But it's not always right. You should have some fundamental understanding of how to do things independently of AI. Otherwise you'll be completely handcuffed to AI.

Deep_Ad1959@reddit

depends what you mean by "learning." if you want to understand how code works at a deep level, do it without AI. struggle through the errors, read the docs, build the mental model yourself. but if your goal is to learn how to build things and ship them, AI is genuinely useful for getting past the blank page problem. generate a working prototype, then read through the code and understand why it works. reverse engineering something that already runs taught me more than staring at tutorials. both approaches have a place, they just serve different goals.

troisieme_ombre@reddit

Without.

nxv_yt@reddit

With 100%

tms10000@reddit

It's impossible to give a nuanced answer about any controversial topic, so here's the boiled down, internet version:

Using AI as a search engine to get pointers to libraries, documentation, how to use API Calls: good

Using AI to generate code for you: bad

Overall for learning, you are still better off doing the research yourself, read the docs, experiment on your own.

its-reality-check@reddit

why not use it as a guidance? something like a teacher? when stuck even after several research, mutiple debugging, sometimes your lack of knowledge just leaves you stuck. you can have it provide hints without giving out the answer

SourceScope@reddit

I use ai at work

But i use it as little as possible

sofaarsecoin@reddit

I have been programming for longer than the average redditor has been alive, so it's hard for me to even imagine how can it possibly affect you psychologically to have virtually unlimited cheating devices at your fingertips at all times. My instinct is that it cannot be good, but I'm not closed to the idea that it can be used appropriately with a lot of discipline.

It's a massive if though. Esp if you're starting out.