How AI Assistance Impacts the Formation of Coding Skills

Does AI provide a shortcut to both skill development and increased efficiency? Or do productivity increases from AI assistance undermine skill development?

Credit to Anthropic for asking these questions, doing the research (see the paperAI, Automation & Expertise 2026) and for providing answers, which is ‘yes’ - cognitive offloading to AI does indeed impair skills development, so all those efficiency gains you’re making today will be paid for tomorrow, by a de-skilled workforce. Lots to think about friends…