Developer essay argues engineers must still review AI-generated code line by line
A software engineer writing under the 'clanker' label describes insisting on fully reviewing code generated by AI coding tools before shipping it, rather than trusting it blindly. The author says accountability for production failures rests with the human whose name is on the pull request, not the AI tool that wrote the code.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The piece reflects a growing debate among engineers about where responsibility lies when AI-assisted code breaks in production, as more teams adopt AI coding assistants for day-to-day development. It suggests that even as AI tools become more capable, the practice of human code review may remain a safeguard rather than a formality, though this is one engineer's personal stance rather than an industry-wide policy shift.
- The author reviews all AI-generated code intended for production use, rejecting a 'hands off' approach.
- The essay frames code review as a matter of personal accountability, since the human author is blamed when production issues occur.
- The author argues AI-generated code, even if mostly functional, lacks judgment, curiosity, and the ability to ask clarifying questions.
Source: fev.al, 2026-11-02
Published there as: “I Read the Clankers' Code”
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