David Crawshaw on the Joy of AI-Assisted Programming

David Crawshaw, a software developer, recently shared a perspective on AI-assisted programming that cuts through much of the current discourse about coding agents and large language models. In a post titled "Eight more months of agents," Crawshaw articulated something that many developers have been experiencing but rarely express so clearly: AI tools have made programming more joyful than ever before.

"I am having more fun programming than I ever have, because so many more of the programs I wish I could find the time to write actually exist," Crawshaw wrote. This statement captures a fundamental shift in the programming experience that goes beyond mere productivity gains.

The Joy of Possibility

What Crawshaw describes isn't just about writing code faster. It's about the expansion of what's possible within the constraints of time and attention that every developer faces. When you can describe a program you've always wanted to build and have a working prototype in minutes rather than days or weeks, the landscape of possibility changes dramatically.

This isn't about replacing human creativity or judgment. It's about removing friction from the creative process itself. Ideas that would have remained notes in a text file or entries in a someday-maybe list can now be explored, tested, and iterated upon almost immediately.

Understanding the Fear

Crawshaw acknowledges the fear that many people have about AI agents and their impact on programming. This fear is understandable and multifaceted. There are legitimate concerns about job displacement, the changing nature of programming skills, and the broader societal implications of having "intelligence on tap."

"The fear itself I understand, I have fear more broadly about what the end-game is for intelligence on tap in our society," Crawshaw notes. This balanced perspective is important because it recognizes that enthusiasm for the technology doesn't require dismissing its potential downsides.

The Limited Domain of Programming

What's particularly interesting about Crawshaw's reflection is the distinction he draws between the broader societal implications and the specific domain of writing computer programs. Within this limited domain, he sees the tools as bringing "so much exploration and joy" to his work.

This distinction matters because it suggests that the impact of AI on programming might be different in kind from its impact on other domains. Programming is already a highly abstract, tool-mediated activity. The introduction of AI tools might represent a more natural evolution than in domains where human judgment, creativity, or physical skill are more central.

The Exploration Factor

Crawshaw emphasizes exploration as a key benefit. This points to something that often gets lost in discussions focused on productivity metrics. AI tools enable a kind of rapid prototyping and experimentation that makes programming feel more like exploration than construction.

When the cost of trying an idea drops from hours to minutes, you can afford to be more curious, more playful, more willing to follow tangents that might lead somewhere interesting. This exploratory mode of programming can be deeply satisfying in a way that grinding through implementation details often isn't.

Sharing the Joy

Crawshaw expresses a wish to share this joy with people who are fearful about the changes agents are bringing. This suggests an opportunity for the programming community to help others understand the technology through lived experience rather than abstract debate.

Sometimes the best way to address fear is to demonstrate the positive possibilities. When people see how AI tools can enable creativity and exploration rather than just replace human effort, their perspective often shifts.

The Broader Context

The timing of Crawshaw's reflection is notable. Posted in February 2026, it comes after several years of rapid development in AI coding tools. The initial hype has settled into something more substantive, and developers like Crawshaw are articulating what the technology has actually meant for their daily work.

This kind of grounded, experiential perspective is valuable precisely because it's not coming from the companies selling these tools or the researchers building them. It's coming from someone who uses them as part of their regular programming practice and has found genuine joy in the experience.

Looking Forward

As AI coding tools continue to evolve, perspectives like Crawshaw's remind us to pay attention to the human experience of using these technologies. The question isn't just whether they make us more productive, but whether they make programming more enjoyable, more creative, more exploratory.

For many developers, the answer appears to be yes. And that's worth understanding and sharing, even as we continue to grapple with the broader implications of having increasingly capable AI tools at our disposal.