How Engineers Use AI

Intro

Hey, I'm Sam.

Disclaimer

AI facts are perishable. Model behavior, vendor terms, court expectations, and bar guidance can change faster than a conference Wi-Fi password.

Raise of hands

  • Who has used ChatGPT or Claude?
  • Who has used Claude Code or Codex?
  • Who has used the terminal or command line for AI?
  • Who has used Cursor or VSCode for AI?

How Engineers Use AI

The basics

  • Verifications and algebra
  • Play dumb
  • Code smells
  • Prompt smells
  • Lean into existing summarizing frameworks
  • Smart Brevity Core 4

Verifications and algebra

Play dumb

Code smells

Prompt smells

Summaries are you friend

  • Smart Brevity Core 4
  • BLUF - Bottom Line Up Front
  • SCQA / Pyramid Principle

How an Engineer mitigates Hallucination

Mitigations

  • Always check the sourced materials - RTFS
  • Give it clear the consequences of faulty data. The more serious the better
  • Always check the sourced materials
  • RTFS

The burger example

Consequences of faulty data

  • I will lose my legal license
  • I could be disbarred

AI will still lie to you

Live demo: OSCN on request

How AI has changed Software work

Comprehension Debt

https://addyosmani.com/blog/comprehension-debt/

Cognitive Surrender

https://addyosmani.com/blog/cognitive-surrender/

The Context Window

Benchmark Rankings

Benchmark Rankings

  • Don't use benchmarks as God's word.
  • They're just signal help you use your own discernment.

Model Benchmarks

Tool / Harness Benchmarks

Questions

oba-2026.samcarlton.com

QR code linking to the AI for Lawyers article

Article + slides

samcarlton.com/ai-for-lawyers-engineering-world

Resources

Extra

Bleeding Edge to watch

  • Subagents
  • Adversarial Harnesses
  • Claude Dynamic Workflows
  • AI Fatigue

The power of a Hard Drive

Welcome to 1995