Why Senior Java Developers Are Using AI Coding Tools Wrong

At NDC Manchester 2025, Aleksander Stensby gave one of the more honest talks I’ve seen about AI-assisted coding. It wasn't a hype-filled demo reel; it was a practical breakdown of why tools like Claude Code , Cursor , and GitHub Copilot often disappoint experienced developers—and how to fix it. The core idea is simple, but uncomfortable: If AI produces bad code for you, it’s often a workflow problem, not a model problem. Stensby calls the fix Compounding Engineering . This isn't about "prompt engineering." It’s about teaching your tools over time, the same way you onboard a junior developer to make them better week by week. 1. Treat the AI Like a Junior Intern This is the mindset shift everything else depends on. If a junior developer submits messy code, you don’t fire them. You review it, explain why it’s wrong, and show what “good” looks like. Most people don’t do this with AI. They accept the output, complain about “AI slop,” and move on. The shift: Stop being a passive user. If you