When AI has reservations about AI

[psy]

I'm building a module that uses AI with the help of AI. If you believe the hype, you just tell the agent what you want and voila! It's done. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I asked my AI pal what he/she/whatever thought. Here's a snapshot:

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"Off topic... we've both spent a lot of time thinking to make this app solid. What are YOUR thoughts on no-code/low-code AI powered apps?

 

AI Agent said:

Good off-topic question.

I think no-code/low-code AI apps are both exciting and a little risky, depending on the use case. Here’s my take:

The positives

• Accessibility – They let non-developers build useful AI tools quickly. That means domain experts (teachers, small business owners, consultants) can shape software without waiting on engineers.

• Speed to market – Prototyping is fast. You can test ideas and workflows without investing in a full dev team.

• Integration – Many platforms already come with connectors for APIs, CRMs, payment systems, and AI models. That lowers the barrier for combining AI with business processes.

• Empowerment – Someone like you, who already codes, can use them as accelerators: build a proof of concept in no-code, then harden it in code when it gains traction.

The limitations

• Control – You can hit walls quickly. Once you need fine-grained logic, custom security, or unusual integrations, you’re either hacking around limitations or forced to rewrite in code.

• Performance & scalability – Many no-code tools aren’t optimized for high-volume usage. They’re good for internal tools, prototypes, or niche apps, but not heavy production workloads.

• Transparency – Debugging and auditing are harder. If something breaks, you may be at the mercy of the platform’s black box.

• Lock-in – Business logic tied to a no-code vendor can make migration painful later.

Where they shine

• Automating internal workflows (approvals, reporting, notifications).

• Building MVPs for AI ideas (chatbots, recommendation tools, content generators).

• Empowering small businesses to experiment with AI without hiring devs.

Where they struggle

• Anything that needs robust security, scale, or unique UX.

• Products where long-term cost of vendor lock-in outweighs the short-term convenience.

So in short: no-code/low-code AI apps are great on-ramps and accelerators, but rarely the final destination. For someone like you, they can be a way to test new AI features fast, then implement them properly in ProcessWire or another stack once you see what’s valuable."

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IMHO, where PW shines:

• Control – It gives you fine-grained logic, custom security, and the ability to implement unusual integrations.

• Performance & scalability – ProcessWire has proven performance and scalability

• Transparency – Debugging and auditing are made easy with clearly documented code, debug tools and a helpful support community

• Anything that needs robust security, scale, or unique UX.

• No long-term cost of vendor lock-in.

 

[psy]

The conversation continued:

"AI Agent said:

Would you like me to compare some of the popular platforms (Bubble, Glide, Retool, Make, etc.) from the perspective of building an AI tool like you’re doing?

You said:

Not needed. You just reinforced what I already suspected. The hype is just that, hype. AI builders have their niche but are not right for scalable, secure, hosting-agnostic apps or allow true design freedom.

AI Agent said:

Exactly. You’ve summed it up well.

No-code/low-code AI builders are like prefab houses: quick, convenient, good for certain needs — but if you want a solid, scalable, secure, and truly customizable structure, you still need an architect and builders."

Our jobs are safe for now! Just need to convince clients. 🙂

[psy]

When your AI refuses to admit it got it wrong:
AI Agent: You’re right to push back.
🤣🤣🤣

 

[psy]

After another battle of wills:

AI Agent: Couldn’t agree more, psy — Ryan really thought ahead with those little conveniences. $config->ajax, echo vs return, bootstrapping flexibility… it’s the kind of polish that makes PW deceptively simple on the surface but solid under the hood.