Ask HN: Copilot Makes Me Dumb | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Copilot Makes Me Dumb

5 pointsynarwal__10 comments

I've been noticing that Copilot is basically hijacking my problem-solving process. Instead of working through challenges myself, I find myself just going with whatever it suggests, even when I haven't fully thought the problem through. It's making me mentally lazy. The constant suggestions feel like having someone looking over your shoulder, blurting out answers before you've even finished forming the question. Really breaks your concentration and stops you from developing your own solutions. I'm thinking of disabling it for a while, maybe permanently. Don't get me wrong - LLMs are incredibly useful for development work, but only when I deliberately choose to use them. Having them always on feels like it's weakening my ability to think independently. Curious what others on HN think about this. Anyone else feeling like these tools are changing how they approach problems?

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I think Claude Code had the perfect solution to this. You don't simply autocomplete, you tell it what to do and it looks through the code and proposes a plan. If you know your stuff, you should know whether the plan is any good.

It also walks you through changes one by one and lets you approve them. It beats the typical PR process via github because you go through it in logical order - why this code is here, etc.

Yep I have been trying claude code this week, it works very good so far. Step by step process makes it stand out keeps me in control

I think you just have to lean on it as a junior programmer that you're pairing with on a problem. It'll suggest something, but you still think about what it suggests or be skeptical about it. Once you do that, it actually can help you with bouncing ideas around and working through problems. If you're just giving it things to do and not looking at the code, or looking at the way it's approaching the problem, then that's when it feels like you're not really thinking anymore.

I get paid to make computers do stuff that either make the company money or save the company money. Whether that’s coding, talking to clients on zoom or hopping on a plane, writing 30+ page assessments and requirement docs with nice pretty diagrams.

If an LLM can do it, it’s “undifferentiated heavy lifting” that doesn’t add value by my typing it out myself.

I’m no more going to stop using LLM based coding assistants in 2025 than I’m going to stop using compilers instead of programming in assembly like I did in the mid 80s

Yeah, this isn't college, or high school. You don't get points taken off if you don't show your work, or find a shortcut

Read through everything it suggests and critique it yourself. If you can't be bothered to do that then that is on you.

Yeah, I’ve noticed my tolerance for how long a problem takes to complete has gone down a lot. I try to solve most problems myself to keep my brain sharp, but if it’s taking too long I will reach for an LLM. It’s a difficult balance sometimes because at the end of the day I am trying to be an efficient developer and if something takes significantly less time I should use it.

But LLMs have been invaluable for those kinds of problems that don’t make any sense where I have to dismantle everything just to figure it out, with the full knowledge that I will kick myself once I figure out what it is. LLMs have helped me troubleshoot those issues much faster and with significantly less frustration.

Walking instead of driving makes me slow.

Why do you feel so attached to “your solutions” just curious?

When you multiply big numbers do you do them on paper instead of a calculator? Why should the calculator figure out your tip?

It’s just a tool bro. It’s not a big deal. You’re still solving problems, if you can use it you can go far and wide. You’re not forced to use it.

Times change. Things evolve.

Lots of people paint or do pottery as a hobby. But most people just prefer to buy their bowls. If that makes sense.

You're right that it's ultimately just a tool - maybe I'm overthinking it.

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