Leveraging AI Tools for Faster Web Development

AI-powered development tools are revolutionising how we build websites and applications, dramatically reducing development time while maintaining quality.

The AI Development Revolution

Traditional web development can be time-consuming, with developers spending hours writing boilerplate code, debugging, and implementing standard features. AI tools are changing this paradigm.

Tools We Use

At Extension Technology, we've integrated several AI tools into our workflow:

• v0 - For rapid prototyping and component generation
• ChatGPT - For code suggestions, debugging, and documentation
• GitHub Copilot - For real-time code completion and suggestions
• Local LLMs - For privacy-sensitive projects where data can't leave our systems

Real-World Results

Using these tools, we've seen remarkable improvements in our development process:

• 50-70% reduction in development time for standard features
• Faster prototyping and iteration cycles
• Reduced debugging time
• More consistent code quality

Case Study: Extension Technology Website

Our own website was built using AI-assisted development. What would have taken days of design and coding was completed in just a few hours, allowing us to focus on content and user experience rather than implementation details.

The Human Element

While AI tools accelerate development, the human element remains crucial. Our developers provide the creativity, strategic thinking, and quality control that AI can't replicate. We view AI as an amplifier of human capability, not a replacement.

Industry Perspective: Shopify's AI Mandate

The tech industry is rapidly embracing AI as a fundamental tool. Recently, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke issued a memo making AI usage a baseline expectation for all employees, stating:

"Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify. It's a tool of all trades today, and will only grow in importance. Frankly, I don't think it's feasible to opt out of learning the skill of applying AI in your craft."

This perspective aligns with what we're seeing across the industry. Companies that embrace AI tools are gaining significant advantages in speed, quality, and innovation. Lütke further emphasized:

"What we have learned so far is that using AI well is a skill that needs to be carefully learned by… using it a lot. It's just too unlike everything else."

At Extension Technology, we've found this to be absolutely true. The skill of effectively using AI tools is developed through consistent practice and experimentation. The more our team uses these tools, the more effective they become at leveraging them for complex development tasks.

Shopify's approach includes making AI a mandatory part of their prototyping phase, noting that "The prototype phase of any project should be dominated by AI exploration." This mirrors our own development process, where we use AI to rapidly generate and test different approaches before committing to a specific implementation.

Getting Started with AI Development

If you're interested in incorporating AI into your development workflow, start small:

1. Begin with code completion tools like GitHub Copilot
2. Use ChatGPT for debugging and learning
3. Experiment with specialised tools for your tech stack
4. Develop a workflow that balances AI assistance with human oversight
5. Share what you learn with your team to collectively improve AI usage skills

The future of development is collaborative, with humans and AI working together to create better software faster than ever before. As Lütke concluded in his memo:

"AI will totally change our work, and the rest of our lives. [...] Our job is to figure out what [our field] looks like in a world where AI is universally available."