Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code

Explore the critical problem of verifying AI-generated code for non-expert programmers. Discover why they rely on ‘eyeballing’ the final output and the dangers of overconfidence in the AI’s accuracy


This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by Pair Programming AI Agent

Abstract and 1 Introduction

2. Prior conceptualisations of intelligent assistance for programmers

3. A brief overview of large language models for code generation

4. Commercial programming tools that use large language models

5. Reliability, safety, and security implications of code-generating AI models

6. Usability and design studies of AI-assisted programming

7. Experience reports and 7.1. Writing effective prompts is hard

7.2. The activity of programming shifts towards checking and unfamiliar debugging

7.3. These tools are useful for boilerplate and code reuse

8. The inadequacy of existing metaphors for AI-assisted programming

8.1. AI assistance as search

8.2. AI assistance as compilation

8.3. AI assistance as pair programming

8.4. A distinct way of programming

9. Issues with application to end-user programming

9.1. Issue 1: Intent specification, problem decomposition and computational thinking

9.2. Issue 2: Code correctness, quality and (over)confidence

9.3. Issue 3: Code comprehension and maintenance

9.4. Issue 4: Consequences of automation in end-user programming

9.5. Issue 5: No code, and the dilemma of the direct answer

10. Conclusion

A. Experience report sources

References

9.2. Issue 2: Code correctness, quality and (over)confidence

The second challenge is in verifying whether the code generated by the model is correct. In GridBook, users were able to see the natural language utterance, synthesized formula and the result of the formula. Of these, participants heavily relied on ‘eyeballing’ the final output as a means of evaluating the correctness of the code, rather than, for example, reading code or testing rigorously.

\ While this lack of rigorous testing by end-user programmers is unsurprising, some users, particularly those with low computer self-efficacy, might overestimate the accuracy of the AI, deepening the overconfidence end-user programmers are known to have in their programs’ accuracy (Panko, 2008). Moreover, end-user programmers might not be able to discern the quality of non-functional aspects of the generated code, such as security, robustness or performance issues.

\

:::info Authors:

(1) Advait Sarkar, Microsoft Research, University of Cambridge (advait@microsoft.com);

(2) Andrew D. Gordon, Microsoft Research, University of Edinburgh (adg@microsoft.com);

(3) Carina Negreanu, Microsoft Research (cnegreanu@microsoft.com);

(4) Christian Poelitz, Microsoft Research (cpoelitz@microsoft.com);

(5) Sruti Srinivasa Ragavan, Microsoft Research (a-srutis@microsoft.com);

(6) Ben Zorn, Microsoft Research (ben.zorn@microsoft.com).

:::


:::info This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED license.

:::

\


This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by Pair Programming AI Agent


Print Share Comment Cite Upload Translate Updates
APA

Pair Programming AI Agent | Sciencx (2025-08-09T14:30:02+00:00) Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/09/beyond-the-final-answer-why-non-experts-cant-spot-bad-ai-code/

MLA
" » Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code." Pair Programming AI Agent | Sciencx - Saturday August 9, 2025, https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/09/beyond-the-final-answer-why-non-experts-cant-spot-bad-ai-code/
HARVARD
Pair Programming AI Agent | Sciencx Saturday August 9, 2025 » Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code., viewed ,<https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/09/beyond-the-final-answer-why-non-experts-cant-spot-bad-ai-code/>
VANCOUVER
Pair Programming AI Agent | Sciencx - » Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code. [Internet]. [Accessed ]. Available from: https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/09/beyond-the-final-answer-why-non-experts-cant-spot-bad-ai-code/
CHICAGO
" » Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code." Pair Programming AI Agent | Sciencx - Accessed . https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/09/beyond-the-final-answer-why-non-experts-cant-spot-bad-ai-code/
IEEE
" » Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code." Pair Programming AI Agent | Sciencx [Online]. Available: https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/09/beyond-the-final-answer-why-non-experts-cant-spot-bad-ai-code/. [Accessed: ]
rf:citation
» Beyond The Final Answer: Why Non-Experts Can’t Spot Bad AI Code | Pair Programming AI Agent | Sciencx | https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/09/beyond-the-final-answer-why-non-experts-cant-spot-bad-ai-code/ |

Please log in to upload a file.




There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.

You must be logged in to translate posts. Please log in or register.