If you are generating code with AI and pasting it into your project without reading it, congratulations: you are slowly suffocating your own coding career.

Using AI tools isn't the problem. I am a Senior Software Engineer, and I use them every single day. The problem is the mindset.

A Junior Developer treats AI like a Boss: "Whatever the AI writes, I accept it as truth." A Senior Developer treats AI like a Junior Assistant: "I will tell you the plan, you write the draft, and then I will review and fix your mistakes."

In this post, I’m breaking down my personal AI tech stack (Cursor, Project IDX, Gemini) and sharing the exact workflow I use to manage UK client projects and my SaaS startups without losing my technical edge.

The "Boss vs. Assistant" Mindset

The biggest mistake students and junior devs make is letting AI do the thinking.

When I assign a task to AI, I don't just say, "Build a payment feature." That is a recipe for disaster. instead, I act like a Manager:

1. I Create the Plan: I define the steps, the variables, and the logic structure myself.
2. I Write the Prompt: I feed that plan to the AI.
3. I Review the Code: I treat the AI's output like a submission from an intern. I check for bugs, security issues, and logic gaps.

If you skip the review process, you aren't a developer anymore; you're just a data entry clerk.

My Top 3 AI Tools for 2026

There are hundreds of tools out there, but these are the ones I trust for production-level code:

1. Antigravity (by Google)

This is currently my favorite. It’s a browser-based development environment that feels like VS Code but with Google’s Gemini built right in.

• Best for: Quick tasks, 4-5 hour coding sessions, and full-stack web development.
• Why I use it: It’s free (for now) and integrates perfectly with the Google ecosystem.

2. Cursor AI

Cursor has changed the game. It’s a fork of VS Code that has AI native to the editor.

• Best for: Refactoring large codebases and context-aware coding.
• Why I use it: It "understands" your entire project folder, not just the file you have open.

3. Google Gemini (Pro Version)

For pure logic and brainstorming, I prefer Gemini Pro.

• Best for: generating logic flows, planning complex features, or when ChatGPT gives me a lazy answer.

The Danger Zone: When AI Wastes Your Time

AI is not magic. In fact, a recent report (referencing Microsoft data) suggests that AI can actually reduce Senior Developer productivity by up to 19% on complex tasks.

I experienced this recently while integrating the Dojo Payment Gateway for a UK client.

• The AI Attempt: I asked the AI to handle the integration. It Hallucinated code that looked correct but used deprecated APIs. I spent 3 hours debugging errors that shouldn't have existed.
• The Fix: I stopped the AI, opened the official documentation, read it myself, and wrote the integration plan manually.

The Lesson: For simple CRUD operations, AI is great. For complex, third-party integrations or high-level logic, your brain is still the best tool.