Vercel designer Pranati Perry advises viewing AI models as interns. This mindset shifts the focus from blindly accepting output to actively guiding the AI and reviewing its work. This collaborative approach helps designers build deeper technical understanding rather than just shipping code they don't comprehend.
Treating AI coding tools like an asynchronous junior engineer, rather than a synchronous pair programmer, sets correct expectations. This allows users to delegate tasks, go to meetings, and check in later, enabling true multi-threading of work without the need to babysit the tool.
Using AI to code doesn't mean sacrificing craftsmanship. It shifts the craftsman's role from writing every line to being a director with a strong vision. The key is measuring the AI's output against that vision and ensuring each piece fits the larger puzzle correctly, not just functionally.
Vercel's Pranati Perry argues that even with no-code AI tools, having some coding knowledge is a superpower. It provides the vocabulary to guide the LLM, give constructive criticism during debugging, and avoid building on a 'house of cards,' leading to better, more stable results.
For those without a technical background, the path to AI proficiency isn't coding but conversation. By treating models like a mentor, advisor, or strategic partner and experimenting with personal use cases, users can quickly develop an intuitive understanding of prompting and AI capabilities.
Treat advanced AI systems not as software with binary outcomes, but as a new employee with a unique persona. They can offer diverse, non-obvious insights and a different "chain of thought," sometimes finding issues even human experts miss and providing complementary perspectives.
To effectively leverage AI, treat it as a new team member. Take its suggestions seriously and give it the best opportunity to contribute. However, just like with a human colleague, you must apply a critical filter, question its output, and ultimately remain accountable for the final result.
To ensure comprehension of AI-generated code, developer Terry Lynn created a "rubber duck" rule in his AI tool. This prompts the AI to explain code sections and even create pop quizzes about specific functions. This turns the development process into an active learning tool, ensuring he deeply understands the code he's shipping.
Based on AI expert Mo Gawdat's concept, today's AI models are like children learning from our interactions. Adopting this mindset encourages more conscious, ethical, and responsible engagement, actively influencing AI's future behavior and values.
With AI, designers are no longer just guessing user intent to build static interfaces. Their new primary role is to facilitate the interaction between a user and the AI model, helping users communicate their intent, understand the model's response, and build a trusted relationship with the system.
Designers need to get into code faster not just for prototyping, but because the AI model is an active participant in the user experience. You cannot fully design the user's interaction without directly understanding how this non-human "third party" behaves, responds, and affects the outcome.