Second Brain

Three Modes of Working With AI

The Story

Boris doesn’t use AI the same way for everything. He has three distinct modes, and he chooses based on the task:

Vibe coding (rare): for throwaway prototypes and experiments. Let the AI run wild. Don’t worry about quality. This is brainstorming mode. “I do this all the time, but it’s definitely not the thing you want to do all the time.”

Pairing (most common): first agree on a plan, then the AI writes the code, then Boris reviews and asks for improvements. “It’s a very involved process. I’m pairing with the model. We’re working together to write this code.” This is co-creation.

By hand (selective): for core parts where Boris has very strong opinions about specific details, like parameter names or the exact placement of code in the main loop. Some things still need human craft.

Lorenz HW adds more detail: Boris categorizes tasks into easy (~50% of daily work, one-shot autonomous), medium (plan mode first, raises success from 20-30% to 70-80%), and hard (write detailed plans manually, use AI for research and prototyping only).

Lesson for Creators

Not every piece of content deserves the same process. Quick social posts can be “vibe coded”: let AI generate a bunch, pick the best. Newsletter issues need pairing: outline together, draft, review, iterate. Your manifesto, your signature framework, your core positioning? That’s by hand. Match the mode to the task.

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