The central question explored is whether AI coding tools, while improving short-term productivity, negatively impact long-term software maintainability. A study involving professional developers found no significant difference in maintenance costs between AI-assisted and human-generated code. AI tools speed up initial development, with habitual users experiencing a more substantial boost. However, the study indicates that AI doesn't diminish maintainability and may even improve it when used by experienced developers, potentially due to the generation of boring, idiomatic code. The discussion emphasizes that AI serves as an amplifier of existing development practices, and it doesn't replace the need for engineering discipline, good design, or critical thinking.
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