When chat is the wrong UI

The piece argues that chat interfaces, while useful as a general introduction to large language models, are often an inefficient and limiting way to use AI for known tasks. It highlights GitHub Copilot app “canvases,” customizable full-stack applications that run inside Copilot and can communicate bidirectionally with an AI agent, external APIs, and local machine resources. Examples include an AI-playable Connect 4 game, a Winget package-management interface, a SQLite tool with SQL assistance, and a visual editor for Jekyll posts. The author contends that custom interfaces can reduce unnecessary AI interactions and token use by turning repeatable requests into direct tools, while also enabling more autonomous development workflows in which agents research, prototype, plan, implement, and notify users when review is needed.

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