Coding looks like one of the first real-world skills AI is close to mastering. And AI coding tools are helping a lot more people build apps and websites – no technical expertise required.

But there’s a problem. It turns out, handing the keyboard over to a robot can end up costing more time and money than hiring a human to do that work.

Today, the unintended consequences of replacing human coders with AI. And what can we learn about embracing this technology too fast from the cleanup crew mopping up AI slop.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Coming up: Have you or someone you know decided to go to a trade school instead of pursuing a four year degree? If so, we want to hear from you. Tell us why. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail with your experience -- it could be featured on an upcoming episode. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Support the show: https://kuow.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The long-awaited trial between Amazon and the FTC is over... after just a few days. Amazon has agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the case over its Prime membership program.

On this bonus episode, Joshua and Monica were in the courtroom during the trial, so they sat down to chat about what they heard during the hearings and why they think Amazon might have settled the case so soon.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Coming up: Has there been a moment when you have encountered something that you're pretty sure was written by AI in a place that you didn't expect? If so, we want to hear from you. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail with your experience -- it could be featured on an upcoming episode. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Support the show: https://kuow.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever found it impossible to find the “unsubscribe” button? Maybe you’ve accidentally opted into “accepting all cookies?” Then you may have fallen for a "dark pattern."

Dark patterns are at the heart of a lawsuit between Amazon and the federal government. The FTC claims Amazon used dark patterns to trick millions of users into subscribing to Prime without meaning to. And the complaint says Amazon created a long, difficult process full of roadblocks that stopped Prime members from unsubscribing.

The trial kicked off in Seattle this week, and the outcome could change how companies sell us stuff online.

Today, what are dark patterns? And how could a crack down on them change how we experience the internet?

Guest:
Harry Brignull, a user experience designer and psychologist in the UK. Founder of the Deceptive Patterns Initiative, a nonprofit advocating against deceptive design.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Coming up: Has there been a moment when you have encountered something that you're pretty sure was written by AI in a place that you didn't expect? If so, we want to hear from you. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail with your experience -- it could be featured on an upcoming episode. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Support the show: https://kuow.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.