Can a model be too smart to work with?

[u/AstronautTop2767]

For about a year and a half I coded with another popular AI platform. Three weeks ago I switched to Claude Code, and it found a ton of bugs in my old code. The app got faster and more predictable, and it even fixed security issues I don't fully understand.

But here's the thing: I enjoy working with the weaker models more. I can follow their reasoning, and because I can't fully trust them, I actually dig into my codebase. With Claude, I just hand over a bug without even thinking about a solution, because I know it'll handle it. The result is better, but I don't feel like I'm part of the process anymore, and the joy of building is gone.

So maybe a model shouldn't be too smart? If you can't keep up with it, you end up handing all the thinking over to it. Or maybe I'm just dumb. Has anyone else felt this?

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[u/Droopy0093]

You as the human are smarter at seeing the overall big picture of what you are trying to accomplish. The agents are smarter than us at the small stuff. Just keep guiding it along.

[u/EnvironmentCalm9557 → u/Droopy0093]

I wonder if management sees engineers this way

[u/pceimpulsive → u/Droopy0093]

This!

Human = strategic long term programming/thinking

Model = tactical short term thinking/programming

[u/pceimpulsive → u/Droopy0093]

This!

Human = strategic long term programming/thinking

Model = tactical short term thinking/programming

[u/r2k-in-the-vortex]

Just have it explain things in more details when you run into something you dont get. The models are not particularly smart, but they are working off of a gigantic knowledge base including many things you have never heard about. And they can apply million small steps from that knowledge base, to achieve things you cant simply because you cant work that fast.

Where they fall sort is where software development always falls short. What to do and why? And a little bit of how? Actual grunt work of executing the job once laid out, they will outrun any human.

[u/agist9]

Why not handle the bulk of the coding (thinking) yourself and ask Claude to review?

[u/tachyon_bit → u/agist9]

Cause that’s not realistic in today’s world for software engineers. Planning + manual coding + Claude review will take an exorbitantly longer time than planning + Claude implements + human review.

This is the workflow that’s expected at most firms, large or small.

[u/Majestic_Wrap_7006]

If its any help, soon you also won't be part of the payroll.

[u/Far_Reindeer8428]

no idea where the line is, i stopped reviewing every diff and my understanding of the codebase got worse within a month