Photo by Nahrizul Kadri / Unsplash

✨ How I Stopped Letting AI Make Me Slower — And Started Using It Like a Pro Developer

Jul 16, 2025
“AI is supposed to save us time… so why am I spending more time, learning less, and second-guessing myself?”

That was me — just a few months ago.

I was using tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot. It felt powerful. But then I noticed something:

  • My core dev instincts were fading
  • My builds were slower, not faster
  • I was copying answers instead of understanding solutions

So I hit pause and asked myself:

Am I using AI to build faster — or to avoid thinking?

That one question changed everything.

🧠 The Real Problem: Over-Reliance on AI

Don’t get me wrong — AI is incredible. It gives you answers, generates code, explains tough concepts.

But here’s what happens when you lean too much:

  • You forget why something works — just that it does
  • You lose decision-making confidence
  • You slow down stitching together AI-generated snippets
  • You stop learning deeply

And worst of all — you become a passenger in your own workflow.

🔁 My Turning Point: Ask Smarter Questions

Instead of saying:

“Give me code for multipart upload to S3”

I started asking:

“What are the different ways to build multipart uploads with S3, and which one is ideal for large file handling?”

And boom — GPT became a mentor, not a crutch.

It showed me:

  • Direct vs. pre-signed uploads
  • Single-part vs. multipart
  • SDK vs. REST-based APIs
  • Transfer acceleration vs. caching

Now I was learning the “why”, not just the “how.”

⚙️ My New AI Workflow (The 3-Step Rule)

Here’s how I now use AI without letting it make me slower:

1️⃣ Understand

Ask GPT to explain the concept deeply with pros, cons, and real examples.

2️⃣ Attempt

Try solving or building it without AI first for 15–30 minutes. Struggle a bit — it sharpens your intuition.

3️⃣ Refine

Then, ask GPT to review, optimize, or suggest improvements. This is where the true learning kicks in.

This approach alone has saved me hours and made my logic clearer, stronger, and more independent.

⚡ Choosing the Right Tool for the Right Task

Here’s a quick breakdown of what I use and when:

Tool When I Use It ChatGPT Concept exploration, debugging, refactoring advice GitHub Copilot Writing boilerplate, helper functions, tests Manual Effort Building core logic, critical architecture decisions

💡 Pro tip:
Don’t let AI do your thinking — let it support your decisions.

🧩 When I Use AI Now

Task How I Use AI Learn a new concept GPT for ELI5 + deep dive Build fast Copilot for boilerplate; I write core logic Debug errors Try myself first, then verify with GPT Plan architecture Use GPT to compare and critique plans Repetitive tasks Automate suggestions or doc generation with GPT

🛠️ Habits That Reinforce Real Learning

  • ✍️ Keep a daily “What I Learned” log (in Notion or Markdown)
  • 🔁 Ask GPT to critique your solution, not give you one
  • 🧪 Do weekly “No-AI Days” to train problem-solving
  • 🎯 Reflect every weekend: What did I build? What did I learn?

🚀 The Result: I Build Smarter and Faster

  • ✅ I cut 4-hour tasks down to 2.5–3 hours
  • ✅ I learn while I ship
  • ✅ I feel confident explaining decisions in code reviews or interviews
  • ✅ I no longer fear AI replacing me — I’m leading it

👋 Final Thoughts

Don’t use AI to escape problems. Use it to master them.

Let AI teach, challenge, and support you — 
but keep your brain in the driver’s seat.

You’re not just a dev.
You’re the architect of your growth.

So use AI like a power tool.
And you’ll build better, smarter, and stronger — every single time.

🔗 Let’s Connect & Grow Together

💼 Connect with me on LinkedIn →
🐦 Follow me on X/Twitter →

👨‍💻 Want to see my 1GB multipart upload S3 POC?
Check out this detailed write-up on Medium →

Deepak Mandal