AI outputs often feel like a gacha game. Paradoxically, the 'expensive' tokens are sometimes the cheapest in the long run. In my experience, higher-end models have a much higher 'one-shot' success rate. You aren't just saving on total token count by avoiding loops; you’re saving engineering time, which is always the most expensive resource anyway.
There is no such thing as "enough" software—not if you believe that every individual is unique. The reason most software looks and feels the same today is simply because the cost of development is too high. To achieve economies of scale, we’ve been forced into "one-size-fits-all" solutions.
It’s just like industrial manufacturing: we buy standard-sized clothes and shoes not because they fit perfectly, but because custom tailoring is too expensive. But with AI and Agents, we are finally entering the era of "bespoke software." Why can't my UI layout adapt to my personal habits? Why can't my icons change color every day based on my mood? We are moving from mass production to individual creation. It’s an incredible time to be alive—we finally have the tools to build software that actually fits the human, rather than forcing the human to fit the software.
Charlie Munger famously said: "Invert, always invert." If you don’t know what you want to do, start by figuring out how to gain the power to avoid the things you don't want to endure.
Don't want the 9-to-5 grind? Focus on saving for early retirement or mastering a skill that allows for freelancing. Can’t stand annoying neighbors? Work toward moving to a better community. If you list your problems one by one, you’ll realize life is a bit like a video game—there’s always a new boss to face. The joy isn’t necessarily in reaching a final destination; it's in the challenge of taking down the bosses along the way.
I believe the ultimate goal for any software product is to lower the barrier to entry. It used to take months of study just to get started with coding, and at least half a year to a year to build a functional website. Now, you can practically "talk" things into existence—even if it takes a few rounds of prompting. Because of this, I don't think there will be a "standard" way to develop in the future. Code is ultimately a tool to solve human needs at the lowest possible cost, so naturally, the cost of writing that code should be as low as it can get.
IMO, there is no such normative specs. Just tell your agent what you want and teach it until it gives exactly what you want.