What Is Tech Debt in the Age of AI Coding Assistants?

AI Writes Code Fast. Maybe Too Fast.

Your junior devs are using Cursor and Copilot to write code at 10x speed. But who is reading it? Tech debt is the cost of reworking code later because you chose the easy solution now. AI generates a lot of easy solutions.

The Problem

AI writes verbose code. It can create a "spaghetti monster" of logic that no human understands. If your team blindly accepts AI suggestions, your platform becomes unmaintainable.

The code works. It passes tests. But six months later, nobody can modify it because nobody understands what the AI was doing.

The Real Risk

1. Duplication — AI often generates similar code in multiple places instead of abstracting
2. Inconsistency — Different AI sessions produce different patterns for the same problem
3. Missing context — AI does not know your team's conventions unless you tell it
4. Over-engineering — AI loves to generate comprehensive solutions when simple ones suffice

The Fix

Stricter code reviews and automated testing are more important than ever:

1. Mandatory reviews — Every AI-generated PR gets human eyes
2. Linting and formatting — Enforce consistency automatically
3. Architecture guidelines — Document patterns the AI should follow
4. Integration tests — Verify behavior, not just syntax
5. Regular refactoring — Schedule time to clean up AI-generated code

The Mindset Shift

AI is a junior developer with infinite energy and zero judgment. Treat it accordingly. Give it clear instructions, review its work, and do not let it make architectural decisions.

We implement strict linting and CI/CD pipelines to ensure AI speed does not kill long-term stability. The goal is 10x speed with zero debt accumulation.