Software culture is skilled at mistaking motion for progress. A new tool appears, the conversation tightens around it, and soon teams are debating adoption before they have named the problem they are trying to solve. Let's be honest with ourselves. It is always easier to reach for the next 'silver bullet' than to stop and consider why your current situation exists.
The opposite reflex is no better. Dismissing every new tool as hype is just another way to stop thinking.
The practical stance is a middle path. Evaluate if the solution solves the problem. What capability does the tool add? What responsibility does it support? What failure mode does it introduce? Does it simplify the solution, or does it relocate complexity behind another veil of smoke and mirrors?
AI is the latest in the long line of shiny. It can extend cognition, accelerate exploration, and expose alternatives faster than a person working alone. It can also produce fluent uncertainty, make weak assumptions look finished, and generate 'solutions' that are actually very well polished excrement. Mirror sheen does not hide the shit in your hands.