Natty or Not? AI as the Anabolic Steroid of Software Development
Dirty bulking your workflow
Cue the gym playlist. You’re at the rack, chalk dust on your hands, the faint aroma of protein powder in the air. It’s chest day, and you’re crushing it. Suddenly, someone leans over and says, "You know, there’s a way to level up even faster. Interested?"
That’s the vibe I get when I think about AI in software development right now. It’s the anabolic steroid of the tech world: undeniable in its ability to enhance, but not without its quirks and side effects.
Let’s start with the basics. Anabolic steroids work (the research is robust). They build strength, increase endurance, and give you an edge in the gym. Similarly, AI tools like Cursor, Windsurf, and countless others are transforming the way developers code, debug, and deploy. These tools don’t just make you faster—they’re changing what’s possible within the same 24-hour window.
For example:
The Code Squat: Parsing an obscure but standard XML definition? AI’s got you. Instead of deciphering opaque data formats manually, you get structured results in seconds. Gains.
The Debug Bench Press: Stuck on an elusive bug? AI can comb through your stack traces and suggest fixes faster than your under-caffeinated brain can Google. Gains.
The Deployment Deadlift: Trying to optimize your CI/CD pipeline? AI tools can not only analyze your configs but even suggest better practices. Gains.
But let’s not ignore the downsides—because every magic potion comes with fine print. Anabolic steroids have a nasty habit of wrecking your body long-term. Thankfully, AI isn’t going to send you to the ER with liver damage, but there are risks to being overly reliant:
Technical Debt Pile-Up: AI might help you ship faster, but quick fixes often need revisiting. AI-generated code is rarely as maintainable or elegant as the handcrafted stuff—kind of like muscles built too fast without foundational strength.
Skill Atrophy: Just like gym bros who skip leg day, developers who rely too much on AI might see their core problem-solving muscles weaken over time. Do you really understand that algorithm you implemented, or did Cursor handle it while you looked away?
Ethical Blind Spots: Just as steroids have their legal gray areas, AI has its own—from baked-in biases to questionable copyright. Gains aren’t worth it if you’re breaking laws or ignoring your moral compass.
But here’s the thing: used responsibly, AI can turn you into the equivalent of a gym rat who also runs marathons, competes in powerlifting meets, and wins the office arm-wrestling contest. The key is to treat it as a supplement, not a substitute. Build your foundational knowledge, refine your skills, and then let AI boost what you’ve already got.
In other words: don’t skip leg day—in code or in life.
AI tools are here to stay, and as developers, we’d be foolish to ignore them. They’re not just the future; they’re the present. So go ahead, embrace the gains… responsibly. And maybe throw on a weightlifting belt while you’re at it, because who doesn’t want to look like they’re about to PR their productivity?
Strike a pose, like the victory was yours all along.