A recent randomized controlled trial investigated how AI assistance affects software developers learning a new Python library. The study found that while AI can speed up coding tasks slightly, it significantly reduced participants’ mastery of coding concepts, with AI-assisted developers scoring 17% lower on a comprehension quiz than those coding by hand. Importantly, how developers interacted with AI mattered: those who used AI to enhance understanding rather than just generate code retained more knowledge. These findings highlight potential trade-offs between productivity and skill development in AI-augmented workplaces.

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