Five & Done
By
Five & Done

As an Executive Producer at Five & Done, I've led digital projects that required a unique blend of technical and creative skills. For many projects and processes, we use Slack and its various applications. In this case, we’ve used the same Slack polling app for years to gather quick feedback, from where we should go to lunch to what music should be on the Sonos. When that app started charging a substantial subscription fee, I saw an opportunity to build a suitable replacement using artificial intelligence. In this article, I'll share my journey of creating 'Easy Polls,' a Slack app that harnesses AI to poll fellow users, including the challenges I faced and the valuable lessons I learned along the way.

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Embracing AI in Development

My decision to build a Slack app with AI was driven by a desire to explore simplifying the development process and pushing the boundaries of my existing technical skillset. By harnessing the power of AI, I was able to significantly reduce development time, improve the accuracy of the code, and improve the app's overall functionality. This experience has opened my eyes to the immense benefits of AI in development.

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Collaborating with AI: A New Way of Working

Working with AI is an incredibly collaborative experience. I would provide the AI with prompts, which it would use to generate code. I would then review the code, make necessary adjustments, and provide feedback to the AI to refine its output. This interactive process of human and machine made the development journey more efficient and made me feel like an integral part of the AI's learning process. It's this sense of collaboration and empowerment that AI-driven development brings.

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Technologies Used

I leveraged a range of innovative technologies to bring my vision to life. Here are some of the key technologies I used:

  • Google's Gemini 1.5 Pro: This AI model was crucial in generating code and simplifying development. Its ability to accept file uploads was invaluable, allowing me to streamline the development process. However, this model had slightly longer response times compared to GroqCloud.
  • GroqCloud with Llama3-70b: I utilized this powerful combination to tap into the ultimate combination of knowledge and speed. This combination provided AI responses in a quarter of the time it would take Gemini to provide a similar response.
  • BoltAI: This innovative application allowed me to consolidate my various chats and discussions across multiple AI models into a single, convenient platform.

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Overcoming Challenges

One of the biggest obstacles was setting up a secure database connection to store user poll data (in Google’s Firestore). Another challenge I encountered was configuring the Slack integration to enable seamless polling within our team’s communication channels.

To overcome these challenges, I used a command-line tool to troubleshoot port issues and carefully reviewed documentation to ensure the correct setup. Additionally, I consulted with our development team and online resources to resolve code conflicts.

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Lessons Learned

  • AI-driven development requires a different mindset and approach, where you guide and correct the AI like an inquisitive teacher.
  • Human oversight and judgment are still essential to ensure AI-generated code meets standards, highlighting the vital role of developers in AI-driven development. 
  • A technical background helps you ask the right questions and correct AI when necessary. 
  • The future belongs to developers who harness AI, not those who resist it. 
  • Not all AI models are equal; sometimes, switching between models is necessary to overcome specific obstacles.

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The Future of AI-Driven Development

Whether automating testing, generating boilerplate code, or assisting with debugging, AI has proven to be an invaluable tool in our development arsenal. AI will continue transforming our digital product development, and harnessing this technology in your workflow will be more important than ever.

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At Five & Done, We're Committed to Innovation

At Five & Done, we're committed to embracing innovative technologies like AI to drive innovation and efficiency in digital product development. As we continue to explore the possibilities of AI-driven development, we want to inspire others to join us on this journey and create innovative digital products that make a real impact. What's next for you? Will you harness the power of AI to create something amazing?

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