AI generates code fast. It also generates technical debt fast. I audited my AI-generated projects after 6 months and found a clear pattern of debt accumulation. Here is how to prevent it.
What type of technical debt does AI generate most?
Duplication. The AI solves the same problem in different ways across different files. A utility function exists in 3 versions across the codebase because the AI did not know the first version existed. I addressed this by creating a SHARED.md file listing shared utilities and prompting the AI to check it before generating new ones.
How do you refactor AI-generated technical debt?
I schedule a ‘debt sprint’ after every 5 AI sessions. In the debt sprint, I identify duplicated code, inconsistent patterns, and undocumented functions. The AI handles the refactoring well because the scope is narrow: ‘merge these 3 utility files into one.’ Without the debt sprint, the codebase becomes unmaintainable within 3 months.
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