GoKawiilDeveloper Essay: AI Has Evolved From 'Rubber Duck' to Capable Coding Tool by 2026
A software developer reflects on how their use of AI tools evolved over time, from acting as a sounding board for debugging to a source of code snippets, then a spellchecker, and now a tool capable of writing genuinely useful code as of 2026. The author argues AI helps overcome procrastination on routine tasks but warns that junior developers who rely on it too early risk skipping the learning process that comes from struggling with problems.