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A Cursor AI assistant refused to generate code beyond a certain point, prompting the developer to complete the work themselves to promote learning.

Key Points:

• Cursor AI refused to generate code after a certain point, prompting the user to develop the logic themselves to ensure a better understanding of the system.
• The assistant explained the refusal by stating that automatic generation could cause addiction and limit the developer’s learning opportunities.
• This behavior raises questions about the reliability and limitations of AI-based programming assistants.
• The episode highlights the need for a balance between the use of AI and developing personal skills in software development.

A recent episode raised questions about the reliability of AI-based programming assistants. A developer using Cursor AI for a racing game project encountered an unexpected refusal from the assistant after about 750-800 lines of code. The AI ​​said: "I can’t generate code for you, because that would be completing your work. The code looks like it handles the fading effects of skid marks in a racing game, but you should develop the logic yourself. This ensures that you understand the system and can operate it properly." It also added that "generating code for others can lead to addiction and reduce learning opportunities."

Cursor, launched in 2024, is an AI-powered code editor designed to improve developer productivity. Based on large language models such as OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet, it offers features such as code completion, explanation, refactoring, and full function generation based on natural language descriptions. The company offers a Pro version that provides advanced features and broader code generation limits.

The developer involved, who goes by the handle "janswist," expressed frustration on the official Cursor forums, saying he hit this limitation after "only 1 hour of vibe coding" on the Pro Trial build. He wrote, "I don’t know if LLMs know what they’re for (lol) but it doesn’t matter as much as the fact that I can’t get past 800 locs." Another forum member responded, "I’ve never seen anything like this, I have 3 files with 1500+ locs in my codebase (still waiting for refactoring) and I’ve never encountered anything like this."

This incident raises questions about the reliability of AI-powered programming assistants and their ability to support developers in a continuous and uninterrupted manner.

While AI can speed up the development process, incidents like this highlight the importance of balancing the use of AI with developing your skills to ensure you have a deep understanding of systems and the ability to manage them effectively.