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This is a way of using LLMs that doesn’t seem appreciated enough: prototyping a refactor or other new approach to see how it goes. Even if you then rewrite it from scratch, it’s a big timesaver because you’re using the new knowledge to do the “right thing” and avoid backtracking.

This is exactly how I use LLMs. "I wonder if it's possible to ...", and if I get something that seems to work or passes the test suite that gives me lots of added confidence that an approach is worth spending proper engineering time on.

Or sometimes you get suggested a method or library you've never heard of, opening your horizons.

I really appreciated this too. Such a contrast with a similar article from someone offended because their "honesty" caused a patch to be rejected.

I completely agree with you. For me, it was the best reward.