I have to ask a probably naive question - after the initial boilerplate/scaffolding is this actually any faster than just typing in the code you want? Or using the standard AI flow before these long task agents? It feels like you are juggling and bouncing async tools, doubling back on output, and constant trial and error to get things working.

I'm sure lots of code is being generated, but I do wonder about the effectiveness ratio of it when I read comments like above. Like there is a sweet spot after initial scaffold where its easier just to express yourself in code?

My view is that it isn't really entirely about economics anymore at least on a traditional cost/benefit analysis basis. It is seen as a way to disrupt industries. Think of it more like war with arms race dynamics (winner takes all), or consolidation of power to capital over labor. Even if it is a net negative you need to play to stay in the game even if it disrupts your own revenue (e.g. Google) else lose entirely.

I suspect the capital class would throw good money after bad to make AI viable especially since a lot of the costs are fixed in nature (i.e. in training runs, not per query).

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For me this is the "issue" I have with AI. Unlike say the internet, mobile and other tech revolutions where I could see new use cases or existing use case optimisation spring up all the time (new apps, new ways of interacting, more efficient than physical systems, etc) AI seems to be focused more on efficiency/substitution of labour than pushing the frontier on "quality of life". Maybe this will change but the buzz is around job replacement atm.

Its why it is impacting so many people, but also having very small changes to everyday "quality of life" kind of metrics (e.g. ability to eat, communicate, live somewhere, etc). It arguably is more about enabling greater inequality and gatekeeping of wealth to capital - where intelligence and merit matters less in the future world. For most people its hard to see where the positives are for them long term in this story; most everyday folks don't believe the utopia story is in anyway probable.