Wasn't part of throwing away the first version because of all the knowledge you gain while actually building it? So that you could build it much better the second time, with much better abstractions/design? If you had AI code it the first time, you don't gain that same knowledge.

You still do from operating the software. You see what problems users have using it, which types of problems they tackle with it. By the end of running the software for a month you will have typically learned a boat load.