It's time to make a public declaration.

I love AI!

There, I've said it.

It's out there forever now and I can't take it back.

Why do I love AI (specifically LLMs)? For many a reason, which I want to get into, but mainly thanks to one man - David Heinemeier Hansson. His enthusiasm and charm on his most recent episode of the Lex Fridman podcast finally won me over. He finally convinced me that the true way was to run with the machines and not against them.

Now, this wasn't a decision I came to lightly. It's been a long hard road to reach this point. There have been a whole whirlwind of emotions along the way. A whole arc of astonishment and disbelief and a mountain of resentment and bitterness towards the "Big AI companies". Let's just say it's been a journey.

And all of that emotion hasn't just gone away. It's still simmering away in the background.

But I have had time to adjust. I've had time to reflect. I've had time to explore and hear a whole array of opinions and I have found myself converted.

I'm proud of myself.

I'm finally comfortable to shout from the roof tops - "I love AI!"

In the podcast there were a few things that really struck me.

There was a moment where DHH says "he never fell in love with IF statements". He was referring to the fact that when people talk about "falling in love with programming" - they aren't usually referring to the syntax.

They don't love curly brackets, semi colons or 'return' statements directly. No. They are talking about suddenly having the skill and ability to create things they always wanted to. Being able to reach a flow state that can last for hours. (Recently Primeagen did a great Youtube video about this and the grief he is feeling).

DHH fell in love with being able to use software to create things he always wanted. DHH argues that with LLMs at his fingertips he can now create programs and software much faster. And make it better too.

Another thing that stuck me about the podcast episode was DHH's enthusiasm.

It was all really quite impressive. On the one hand he is a very eccentric character but on the other hand he articulates thoughts and feelings with great clarity. The way he conveyed his feelings when he realised he had the resources to create an OS (Omarchy) he always wanted struck a chord deep within me.

But this isn't just me drinking the Kool Aid and "believing" the hype. I am also finally seeing results.

Prior to LLMs I was trying to make successful applications. I have always loved creating software and I still foster a dream that one day I will be financial self sustaining from software I produce and maintain.

I've made around 4 apps prior to the introduction of LLMs. I've written about it in depth in The Real Reason Your Side Project Will Fail (A Developer’s 10-Year Confession). The overarching point is, none of them were successful.

Why?

One of the main reasons was resources. Working alone on a project, in your spare time after or before work, is hard. It's mentally tough, emotionally exhausting and an all out slog. It's rewarding and you learn a bunch along the way but to be successful... it's ridiculously hard.

With LLMs now though, I am flying.

In the last 3 months or so I have produced a writing app - Medriter (which I am writing this article on right now) - and a language learning app - Czech Learner.

These are apps I ALWAYS wanted and now I can finally turn into reality. I'm really excited about the Czech Learner app because this as an app I needed for the last 19 years. (I live in Czechia and have a family who all speak Czech so this app is super useful).

LLMs have helped me brain storm ideas, create compelling and realistic designs and create the initial code to get an MVP up and running. What used to take me weeks or months now takes me days or even hours.

The power of LLMs seems to shine most at small scale. It enhances the individual who knows what they are doing 10 fold.

Proof will of course be in the pudding but I plan to release the Czech Learner app in its full updated glory in 2 weeks. This will be the most polished and professional app I have released to date and by some margin. The majority of this is thanks to LLMs. I can just produce so much more now and at a consistently higher level.

Conclusion

It's taken me a while to get here but I have finally succumbed to the inevitable. I finally have committed myself to AI.

One quote that DHH mentioned in his interview that he borrowed from Jeff Bezos - "You have to work with the world as you find it, not as you would have it be" also stuck me. I think many developers right now are feeling something akin to grief. I get that. It's painful.

But at a certain moment you have to accept and move on. Otherwise the negative energy will eat you up from inside and that won't lead you anywhere good.

I truly believe I have turned the corner now. I am an AI enthusiast.