The best use of AI is not replacement — it's acceleration. There's a version of using AI that makes you faster and sharper. There's another version that makes you dependent and shallow.

The dependency trap

What it looks like: you can't write a function without asking Claude first. What it produces: code you can't debug, decisions you can't explain.

The acceleration framework

Outline it yourself first — even badly. Use AI to attempt, then verify the output against your own reasoning. Write down what changed your mind and why.

The tools we use at Quild

Cursor for code — best-in-class for context-aware completions. Claude for reasoning through architecture decisions. Perplexity for research that needs sources.

The test

Can you explain every decision in your codebase? If not — that's not AI's fault. That's how you used it.

If you can't explain the decision, you didn't make it. AI made it for you. That's the line.