Generative AI Articles
Generality in Generative AI is an Illusion
Large language models are often described as general-purpose problem solvers. That’s fair; given a prompt, they can write SQL queries, summarize academic papers, troubleshoot YAML files, produce a mediocre chili recipe, and draft HR emails, all in the same breath. That breadth of capability is a big driver of the current enthusiasm. Here’s the thing […]
Intentional AI: Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
Artificial Intelligence is everywhere these days: headlines, investor decks, your last team meeting, and dinner conversations. Just because AI is hot doesn’t mean it’s well understood. Too often, people reach for AI like it’s duct tape: a fix-all solution for any digital dilemma. But like duct tape, AI has its limits. Some problems need glue, […]
Vibe Coding Is the Purest Form of Agile (And That’s the Problem)
Vibe coding absolutely nails the values of Agile, and quietly violates the mechanisms that make Agile work. Vibe coding might be the purest form of Agile we’ve ever seen. No standups, no tickets, no backlog grooming, just chaos and bliss. It nails the Agile values: working software, responding to change, and individuals over process. The […]
Why Vibe Coding Fails – and How Signal Coding Fixes It
AI is an amplifier for whatever signal we humans provide. Garbage in, garbage out. Signal in, software out. – Robert Herbig, in the thing you’re currently reading If you haven’t heard of vibe coding, it’s an interesting concept: you prompt an AI agent to do all the coding and focus on fast iterations. Minimize time from thought to working application. […]
Terraform: Creatine for Your AI-Assistant
I love software engineering because it lets me create new things every single day. As a programmer, I get to conjure novel solutions to problems I’ve never encountered before – manipulating chaos is my jam. For months, I stubbornly resisted tools like Cursor, Cline and Windsurf. Why? Because I’m passionate about programming and worried these […]
Leverage AI for Promising UX Results: 2025 is the Year to Begin
I get asked all the time if I am worried about artificial intelligence (AI) replacing my job. There’s a common misconception that AI will wipe out the need for user experience (UX) designers. This way of thinking fails to consider the expertise that UX designers bring. AI is powerful. But, it lacks the critical thinking […]
A New Approach to Professional Growth: Personalized Learning Paths with Claude AI
Working with teams over the past 25 years, I have often been asked about where individuals should start on Professional Development. While I read a lot and know a good number of people that I can direct individuals to, I am always looking for better resources to help people. Recently, I was working with a […]
NeurIPS 2024 Developer Tools You Can Deploy & Use Today!
I learned about these open source and commercially licensed tools for developers at NeurIPS 2024. Most of the tools on this list are new to me, but not new to the world. You can deploy and use them today! …pssst – if your manager or your client would rather you make something from scratch instead […]