The way we write software is changing. With AI assistants, you're no longer just a syntax writer—you're a logic reviewer and intent manager.

The Capability Matrix

Not all coding tasks are equal in AI capability. Understanding this matrix is the key to effective collaboration:

High Confidence Tasks

AI handles these reliably:

• Boilerplate generation — CRUD operations, API scaffolding
• Unit tests — Given clear specifications
• Refactoring — Renaming, extracting functions
• Explanation — "What does this code do?"
• Documentation — JSDoc, README sections

Low Confidence Tasks

Requires human oversight:

• Architectural decisions — System boundaries, tech stack choices
• Complex security logic — Authentication flows, encryption
• Performance optimization — Requires profiling, not guessing
• Business logic nuance — Edge cases, domain expertise

// HIGH CONFIDENCE: AI can generate this reliably
interface User {
  id: string;
  email: string;
  createdAt: Date;
}
 
async function createUser(email: string): Promise<User> {
  return db.user.create({
    data: { email },
  });
}
 
// LOW CONFIDENCE: Requires domain expertise
function calculatePremiumDiscount(user: User, cart: Cart): number {
  // Business rules about loyalty tiers, seasonal offers,
  // geographic pricing, bundle discounts...
  // AI will hallucinate without explicit documentation
}

The Mental Shift

What Stays the Same

• Understanding algorithms and data structures
• Knowing when code is "good enough"
• Ownership of correctness and security
• Long-term maintainability decisions

Practical Framework

When approaching a coding task, ask:

1. Is this well-defined? → AI can handle it
2. Does this require judgment? → You lead, AI assists
3. Is this novel/complex? → Break down, iterate together

Next Chapter: The Toolchain & Selection Strategy — When to use Cursor, Claude Code, or standard chat.