Solo Devs' AI Odyssey: From Code to Calm - Thijs Limmen & Matthijs van der Veer - NDC Oslo 2024

AI can help solo developers build sophisticated applications that would normally require entire teams, but still needs expert input for certain aspects

Use proper guardrails when working with AI tools:

• Set clear boundaries and instructions
• Provide context and examples
• Include safety filters
• Review AI-generated content before publishing
• Be mindful of cultural appropriation and sensitive topics

For AI-generated content:

• Use soft language in prompts to get soft language outputs
• Give detailed style guidelines and examples
• Break complex tasks into smaller steps
• Validate and optimize output
• Consider cost optimizations for API usage

Azure AI Studio and similar tools can handle multiple aspects:

• Text generation using LLMs
• Text-to-speech with natural voices
• Image generation
• Background audio and music
• Cross-language support

LLMs work with tokens and probabilities, not true understanding:

• Need clear context and examples
• May require specific formatting instructions
• Can be inconsistent without proper constraints
• Temperature settings affect output variability

When building AI applications:

• Start simple and iterate
• Use AI responsibly
• Consider user experience
• Test thoroughly
• Optimize for performance and costs

AI is a powerful tool but:

• Should not completely replace human expertise
• Works best augmenting human capabilities
• Requires responsible implementation
• Needs ongoing monitoring and adjustment