Developers can use AI both as a tool to boost their own productivity (AI coding assistants) and as a capability to build into applications (integrating AI features via APIs). Understanding both is increasingly valuable as AI transforms software development.
AI as a developer productivity tool
✓ AI CODING ASSISTANTS → GitHub Copilot, Cursor, etc. → code completion, generation,
explanation → boost productivity
✓ CHAT assistants (ChatGPT, Claude) → ask coding questions, debug, explain concepts,
generate code, learn, write tests/docs
✓ uses: write boilerplate, explain unfamiliar code, debug errors, refactor, learn new tech
⚠️ but → REVIEW AI-generated code (it can be wrong/insecure); understand what you use;
AI is a tool, not a replacement for understanding
