The LLM Critics Are Right. I Use LLMs Anyway

TLDR Dev · 5 hours ago

A software engineer acknowledges valid criticisms of large language models—including copyright concerns, environmental impact, and risks to open-source development and junior engineer training—while explaining why they continue using them extensively, arguing that LLMs amplify human thinking rather than replace it when used by credible people who stand behind their work. The author spent nearly $10,000 on LLM tokens in June 2026 and views this as justified because the tools enable higher-quality output when humans maintain responsibility for the final product. The core tension, according to the author, is that distinguishing thoughtful LLM-assisted work from AI-generated slop requires trust in the human creator, since the output looks identical regardless of human effort behind it.