> I tend to begin asking for an empty application with the characteristics I want (CLI, has subcommands, ...) then I ask it to add a simple feature.

That makes sense, as you're breaking the task into smaller achievable tasks. But it takes an already experienced developer to think like this.

Instead, a lot of people in the hype train are pretending an AI can work an idea to production from a "CEO level" of detail – that probably ain't happening.

> you're breaking the task into smaller achievable tasks.

this is the part that I would describe as engineering in the first place. This is the part that separates a script kiddie or someone who "knows" one language and can be somewhat dangerous with it, from someone who commands a $200k/year salary, and it is the important part

and so far there is no indication that language models can do this part at. all.

for someone who CAN do the part of breaking down a problem into smaller abstractions, though, some of these models can save you a little time, sometimes, in cases where it's less effort to type an explanation to the problem than it is to type the code directly..

which is to say.. sometimes.