How to use AI tools responsibly as a developer
AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and others can help you learn faster, solve problems, and write code more efficiently. But they also come with risks—especially when you don’t yet fully understand the concepts behind the code.
This lesson will help you understand:
AI is a tool. You are the developer.
AI is incredibly helpful for:
Example:
// Ask AI: “Can you explain what this function does?”
AI can explain it in simple terms, provide diagrams, or rewrite it in a more readable form.
💡 Use AI to clarify your thinking, not to replace it.
AI does not actually run your code.
It does not know the context of your entire project.
It does not understand your real system unless you describe it perfectly.
AI often struggles with:
And the most important:
⚠️ AI can produce confidently wrong answers.
These are called hallucinations.
A hallucination is when AI gives an answer that sounds correct but is factually incorrect, impossible, or silently wrong.
Examples:
Incorrect APIs
“Use array.remove(3)”
→ JavaScript does not have a remove method.
Incorrect built-in methods
“Use string.reverse()”
→ This method does not exist in JS.
Incorrect logic
Returning the wrong value even though the code looks neat.
Overly complex code
Adding unnecessary loops or conditions.
Misleading explanations
AI explains code incorrectly without realizing it.
💡 AI does not always know that it is wrong—this is why you must verify.
Always follow these steps:
Verify answers
Test the code. Read the code. Try small examples.
Ask AI to explain the reasoning
“Why does this work?”
If the explanation is vague, something is off.
Cross-check with documentation
MDN for JavaScript
Vitest docs
Node.js docs
Give AI more context
The more you explain your goal, the better the answer.
Don’t accept long complicated code
Complexity is a red flag. Ask for a simpler version.
Use debugging tools—not just AI
Always confirm with the VS Code debugger.
⚠️ The more confident the AI sounds, the more careful you must be.
Use AI as:
Do not use AI as: