Is human collaboration the answer to the skill formation risks by AI? (www.gethopp.app)

Anthropic's recent paper highlights significant concerns regarding the impact of AI-assisted coding on developers' skill formation, pointing out a decline in conceptual understanding, impaired code reading, and poorer debugging skills due to diminished cognitive engagement. In response, the author suggests a collaborative approach termed "pair prompting," where two developers work together to engage an AI coding assistant. This method draws inspiration from traditional pair programming, aimed at enhancing comprehension and maintaining engagement. The proposed styles of pair prompting include roles such as "Prompter-Interrogator," where one person asks questions about the AI's provided code, and "Explorer-Builder," which focuses on one individual asking conceptual questions while the other implements the solution. The new collaborative techniques are designed to bolster both understanding and debugging skills by fostering active participation and critical questioning. These innovations emphasize the necessity of human interaction in programming, particularly in an era increasingly dominated by AI, suggesting that effective collaboration could mitigate risks associated with AI reliance and improve overall coding competency.