AI Writes Examples, Not Core Library Code
Library author Lighthazard uses AI to expand the supporting material around his work while keeping the code he cares about under his own control.
Developed from a conversation between Pete Winn, Yo and Andy David
Lighthazard draws a firm boundary around AI in his development process. He doesn’t want a model writing the library code itself because that’s the part of the work he cares about and wants to understand. Yet this isn’t a rejection of AI. He still uses it every day.
The distinction becomes clear once the library exists. Lighthazard can ask AI to generate roughly 20 examples showing how to use it, giving other developers several practical routes into code he has already designed. The model handles repetition and variation without taking ownership of the underlying technical decisions.
This kind of selective delegation treats AI as a substitute for a task the author doesn’t want to spend time on, not for the craft he wants to preserve. Lighthazard keeps control of the library and hands off the supporting examples that make it easier for other people to understand and use.