Question about Rule 1 regarding AI-generated projects.
Posted by Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit | Python | View on Reddit | 16 comments
Hi everyone, I’m new to this subreddit and had a question about Rule 1 regarding AI-generated projects.
I understand that fully AI-generated work (where you just give a vague prompt and let the AI handle everything) isn’t allowed. But I’m trying to understand where the line is drawn.
If I’m the one designing the idea, thinking through the architecture, and making the core decisions ,but I use AI as a tool to explore options, understand concepts more deeply, or discuss implementation approaches would that still be acceptable?
Also, in cases where a project is quite large and I’m working under time constraints, if I use AI to help write some parts of the code (while still understanding and guiding what’s being built), would that still count as my project, or would it fall under “AI-generated”?
Just trying to make sure I follow the rules properly. Thanks!
HQMorganstern@reddit
I'd imagine a lot of what makes AI-generated projects is the production speed. With the slop machine you can create a lot of frankly decent projects extremely quickly, this naturally leads to the entire sub being only showcases.
The AI showcase ban is less about the morality or decision making regarding AI assisted projects, and far more about keeping the forum alive.
So yes in this sense the ban should apply to a project you executed only because AI sped up building for you, not because it's somehow wrong, but because otherwise we won't have r/Python.
ultrathink-art@reddit
Designing the architecture and making the core decisions is exactly the work that matters. A plumber who uses a power drill instead of a hand drill isn't any less a plumber. The line that trips people up is understanding what you built — if you can't explain it or debug it without starting over, that's the slop people are reacting to.
Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit (OP)
true, initially i was to focused on building it fully in th first version but after receiving feedback from all redditors i was thought was dividing it further more for the first release . I might add a document instead showing what my future plan are for adding in the project and ask frmo people suggestion over them.
Responsible-Bread553@reddit
You're asking the right question for 2026. Here’s the Senior perspective: The value is in the Intent, not the Syntax.
A prompter asks for 'a login page.' An Architect asks for 'a stateless authentication layer with JWT rotation and specific middleware constraints.' Using AI to generate the boilerplate once you’ve defined the logic isn't 'generating'—it's accelerating.
I run Aurora Corps, and we use AI agents to handle the grunt work, but the 'Soul' of the architecture remains deterministic. Don't worry about the 'AI-generated' label if you can defend every line of code from a logic perspective. If you need help mapping out that complex backend architecture so it doesn't fail you, feel free to reach out.
GXWT@reddit
The rule isn’t about AI projects. It’s about showcases.
In any case for, by actually doing some of your own critical thinking about this you’re already at least a tier about all the other AI junk
Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit (OP)
i want to about the showcase part only since i plan to post my project here for feedback
so if u can elaborate over it
and i didnt quiet get what you said in the last part "atleast a tier about" thing
DoubleAway6573@reddit
What you have to install is what are others going to learn from you protect and in which way cold they help you.
If it's an AI generated code I can ask the same to Claude, and, from the other side, there are problems you will not be aware, because you haven't make the critical decisions.
If you can provide some food for our thoughts based on AI code, it would be ok.
Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit (OP)
i am doing the heavy lifting in most part the architecture design the pipeline and all critical decision i make sure i understand something before using it in the project(for the suggestion and possible choises i get for part of project i dont know ), mainly i want the assistance for part i dont know about at all and to assist in coding some part to complex for me .
Druber13@reddit
I get what you’re getting at. However the post sounds like I’m vide coding and using what I know to guide the project. I want help on the things I don’t know. In that case you wouldn’t need to show the whole project. You could do more of does it make sense to use a function or class here, or this api vs this api for A B C.
I would say to showcase a project and not label it as AI you should be writing out most sections and chunks of the code. Doesn’t have to be perfect or working but then using AI to get the section up and going would be fine. That or using it to refactor.
For example I trying build things as single lines and various parts. I might ask AI to help group like logic together for efficiency etc. Then make my function that way and usually let AI do my doc strings for me as it’s better than I can usually come up with. Then I edit them where they make sense to a human coming in later.
Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit (OP)
the main reason i want to show the project was because it was a library i wanted people to try and help me grow it if people actually find it worth there while to use it in real time projects.
what u say i agree but the main reason i cant completly write by myself is one the time contraint i am on right now and some part will be to complex for me to code comparing to my knowledge on coding things.
i might just have to delay it a bit maybe and try coding stuff in rough before integrating .
Druber13@reddit
Using AI to code it isn’t wrong, just presenting in the space might not be the best fit. If it’s truly helpful to folks they will want to use it and will help contribute to it. You’re likely not going to cover all the things you want on the first go.
Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit (OP)
man what are u saying is going over my head
neums08@reddit
If AI wrote the code, it's AI generated.
You're welcome to add it to the pile: https://www.reddit.com/r/Python/s/Y896UXMXPh
Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit (OP)
i am trying to it not be a ai slop but i would need help from ai in building will it still wont be acceptable?
Exciting_Addition333@reddit
Looking at how most people work nowadays, using AI as a coding assistant while you're still doing the heavy lifting on design and architecture should be fine. The key thing is you're not just copy-pasting some chatbot output and calling it your project
I'd say as long as you can explain every piece of code and made the actual decisions about how to structure everything, you're good. The mods probably care more about people who dump generic "make me a web scraper" prompts and post whatever comes out
Emergency-Rough-6372@reddit (OP)
understood thanks, i am focusing more on the architecture design and the pipeline flow while taking suggestion and possible option to choose from ai over part i quiet dont understand about.