Rules Before Guesses
If a rule can do the job, use the rule - save AI's best guess for judgement, language and interpretation.
Rulesthe default
Same input, same output. Test it once, trust it after.
Spreadsheets, formulas, templates, scripts, pattern matching.
Best guessthe exception
Flexible, capable, never quite the same twice. Check it every time.
AI and LLMs.
Rules go stale
A wrong guess gets noticed. A wrong rule repeats silently until somebody checks that reality has not moved on.
When to use At the start of any build - to decide whether the task needs AI at all, or a rule does it cheaper.
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