I used to think writing code was the whole job. Type the right syntax, hit compile, ship it. Then AI Code Agent showed up. Suddenly half my keystrokes were suggestions. At first it felt like cheating. Then it felt normal. Now it’s the only way I work.

The shift is simple. Instead of telling the computer how to do something, I tell it what I want. The “how” is handled by an AI that’s read more code than I ever will. My job is to stay in the loop. I guide, correct, and decide when the result is good enough. I’m no longer a typist. I’m a filter.

This changes the skills that matter. Memorizing syntax is less useful. Spotting subtle bugs is more useful. Explaining intent in plain words is now a core skill. The AI can write a for loop, but it can’t tell me if the loop solves the real problem. Only I can do that.

There’s a trap here. If I stop paying attention, the code still looks fine. It just quietly drifts from what I actually need. The loop only works if the human stays human. That means asking “why” before asking “how.” It means pushing back when the answer feels off.

I’ve started treating the AI like a junior teammate who codes fast but misses context. I review every line. I ask questions. Sometimes I reject the whole thing and start over. The process is slower than pure autopilot, but the result is better. And I still learn something new each time.

This isn’t the end of programming. It’s a new layer. We still need architecture, testing, security, taste. We just get to spend less time on boilerplate and more time on decisions that matter. The loop keeps us honest. As long as we stay in it, the tools serve us, not the other way around.