How Developers Use AI to Code Faster

I was stuck in traffic the other day, thinking about how much our daily commutes have changed in just a few years. Remember when getting a cab meant haggling over fares and waiting endlessly? Ola completely flipped that script.

In this case study, let’s break down how Ola went from a scrappy cab aggregator to a product that fundamentally redefined how millions of Indians move every day.

AI is a productivity tool, not a replacement for thinking. Here is how senior devs use it.

1. Generating Boilerplate

Paste a code snippet into ChatGPT, and it will generate the boilerplate for you.

Prompt: "Create a TypeScript interface for a User object with id, name, email, and optional phone number."

interface User {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  email: string;
  phoneNumber?: string;
}

2. Explaining Obscure Errors

Paste a weird error message into ChatGPT, and it often explains the root cause faster than a Google search.

3. Writing Regex

Nobody likes writing Regex. Let AI do it.

Prompt: "Write a regex to validate a US phone number."

const phoneRegex = /^(([0-9]{3}) |[0-9]{3}-)[0-9]{3}-[0-9]{4}$/;

The Golden Rule

Never commit code you don't understand. AI makes mistakes. You are the pilot; AI is just the co-pilot.