Should you disclose your AI usage during interviews? Or keep it a secret?

Okay, that's a nuanced one! Gotta think strategically about this. Let's break it down. Lean towards saying it, but frame it right. Don't just drop, "Oh yeah, I use AI". That's lazy. You frame it like this: As a programmer, my goal is to deliver maximum impact and solve problems as efficiently as possible. I use AI tools not to replace my skills or thinking, but to amplify them. For example, I use AI for boilerplate code generation, identifying potential bugs faster, or exploring different architectural patterns quickly. This allows me to free up mental energy and time to focus on the complex challenges with more creativity. It makes me faster, more thorough, and more effective. See the difference? You're not saying "AI does the work for me." You're saying "I am a pragmatic programmer who understands how to use the best tools available to be significantly more productive and focus on the harder problems." Now, yeah, there's a risk you hit an interviewer who is completely anti-AI or doesn't get it. But honestly? As a programmer, do you really want to work at a place that doesn't understand leveraging modern tools for efficiency anyway? Think of it as a filter. Show them you're not just good at coding; you're good at engineering SOLUTIONS efficiently in the current landscape. So, don't keep it a secret out of fear. Be transparent, but be strategic in how you communicate the value and the leverage you gain from it.

May 15, 2025 - 02:32

Should you disclose your AI usage during interviews? Or keep it a secret?

Okay, that's a nuanced one! Gotta think strategically about this. Let's break it down.

Lean towards saying it, but frame it right.

Don't just drop, "Oh yeah, I use AI". That's lazy.

You frame it like this:

As a programmer, my goal is to deliver maximum impact and solve problems as efficiently as possible. I use AI tools not to replace my skills or thinking, but to amplify them.

For example, I use AI for boilerplate code generation, identifying potential bugs faster, or exploring different architectural patterns quickly. This allows me to free up mental energy and time to focus on the complex challenges with more creativity. It makes me faster, more thorough, and more effective.

See the difference?

You're not saying "AI does the work for me."

You're saying "I am a pragmatic programmer who understands how to use the best tools available to be significantly more productive and focus on the harder problems."

Now, yeah, there's a risk you hit an interviewer who is completely anti-AI or doesn't get it. But honestly?
As a programmer, do you really want to work at a place that doesn't understand leveraging modern tools for efficiency anyway? Think of it as a filter.

Show them you're not just good at coding; you're good at engineering SOLUTIONS efficiently in the current landscape.

So, don't keep it a secret out of fear. Be transparent, but be strategic in how you communicate the value and the leverage you gain from it.