AI Coding Assistants in 2026: Useful Partners or a Crutch for Developers?

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A developer revisits the question of whether AI coding tools help or hinder programmers, three years after taking a cautious stance. Surveys show adoption is widespread, with Claude Code overtaking GitHub Copilot in developer use between January and July 2026. A METR study found experienced open-source developers were 19% slower with AI while believing they were faster. An Anthropic trial showed junior engineers using an AI assistant scored 17% lower on a comprehension test than those without one, despite finishing at similar speeds. The author concludes that AI should handle routine work while developers keep ownership of understanding the code they ship.

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