AI code and software craft
14 days ago
- #AI-generated content
- #technique
- #software craft
- AI-generated 'slop' is low-quality content that has proliferated online due to the ease of AI content generation.
- Jacques Ellul's concept of 'technique' describes the reduction of activity to efficient means for measurable ends, often at the cost of craft and human dignity.
- Platforms like Spotify prioritize metrics over music quality, leading to algorithmically-targeted, bland content, while Bandcamp focuses on curation and artist support.
- AI thrives in environments where optimization and metrics overshadow craft, such as in low-quality software production.
- Large tech companies produce bloated, poorly-designed software due to narrow roles and lack of market competition.
- AI agents can assist in rote coding tasks but fail in broader, creative software engineering due to fundamental limitations.
- The Arts and Crafts movement of the industrial revolution sought to revive craftsmanship; a similar movement is needed in software.
- Experimental, human-made software may gain value as mainstream software degrades and centralization is questioned.