#74: How experienced engineers actually use AI coding tools | Nick Meehan (Senior Software Engineer @ Ontra)

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTube If you’ve wondered how much AI is really helping engineers - or feared it might replace them - this episode is for you. In this conversation, Marc and Ben sit down with Nick Meehan, a senior engineer and longtime collaborator, to explore how AI coding tools like Cursor, Claude, and Codex are reshaping day-to-day engineering work. Nick shares how his process evolved from copy-pasting into ChatGPT to using AI as a debugging partner, thought collaborator, and junior developer moving at superhuman speed. They cover the productivity gains, the pitfalls of vibe coding entire products, the new skills engineers need (critical thinking, architecture, team coordination), and what might never be replaced by AI. Nick also reflects on job security, how satisfaction in engineering is shifting, and where he sees the field heading over the next five years. Whether you’re an engineer experimenting with coding agents, a product leader trying to understand their impact, or simply curious about how AI is changing the craft of engineering, you’ll walk away with an insider’s perspective on what’s actually happening on the ground. All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 ✨ Special Surprise… We have some exciting news to share! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below. In this episode, we covered the following topics: * (03:40) Nick’s journey from copy-pasting into ChatGPT to discovering Cursor and pushing his team at Ontra to adopt it. * (06:01) Defining pseudocoding vs. vibe coding—and where AI coding agents like Cursor, Claude, and Codex help or hurt. * (11:40) The “magic moment” when AI solved frontend toil—and why backend work still demands human judgment. * (15:31) Using AI as a thought partner and debugger: solving architecture problems and debugging in minutes instead of days. * (20:00) Nick’s current workflow: step-by-step collaboration with AI, micromanaging it like a superfast intern. * (30:19) Job security, critical thinking, and why learning to use AI is now a must-have engineering skill. * (40:43) The enduring value of critical thinking, team coordination, and problem-solving that AI can’t replace. * (58:35) Predictions: vibe-coded security disasters, a pendulum swing back to balance, and the rise of “cracked engineers.” * And more! Links: * Nick Meehan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmeehan/ * Nick’s zoom marketplace app: https://nextmeet.ing/ * Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/ * Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/ If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed: And here are some early favorites: To support the podcast, please check out the links below: * Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews has been selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥. While the next cohort won’t be until mid-October, his popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here, where you can also see a live demo. * Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you're part of the Supra family, you get $100 off any of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com