The skill of the future is not 'AI', but 'Focus'

Summary

If you frequent Hacker News regurlarly, you have likely noticed the buzz around engineers using AI (specifically Large Language Models, or LLMs) to tackle Computer Science problems. I want to be clear: I’m not against LLMs. LLMs are incredibly powerful tools, and can be a huge boon to engineers. They can automate repetitive tasks, generate code snippets, help with brainstorming, assist in debugging, … and this can frees up engineers’ time and mental energy, which could be channeled into more complex, creative problem-solving. But, like any tool, LLMs should be used wisely. LLMs can hallucinate, exhibit inconsistencies (especially with self-reflection models), and harbor biases. These limitations mean that LLM outputs require careful review before they can be trusted. A key concern with LLMs lies in their training data. The data can be biased, contradictory sometimes, but those data contain solutions to known problems. If an engineer wants to “reinvent the wheel,” an LLM might offer a solution (good or bad, depending on the prompt). But when faced with truly novel problems, LLMs often provide unreliable responses, placing the burden of error detection squarely on the engineer. This reliance on readily available solutions, particularly for familiar problems, creates a real risk: engineers may inadvertently atrophy their own problem-solving skills, hindering their ability to tackle truly novel challenges. The solution lies is balance, and a focus on the “why”, not just the “what”. Engineers should strive to understand the reasoning behind LLM-generated solutions, not simply accept them blindly. Blind acceptance shifts the focus from solving problems to merely obtaining a solution. Crucially, solving complex problems often depends on mastering simpler and foundational skills, which the engineer might lose quickly. This idea summarizes why I disagree with those who equate the LLM revolution to the rise of search engines, like Google in the 90s. Search enginers offer a go...