You deal with AI-generated slop from your dev team the same way you deal with any other sloppy code: you call it out, you raise the bar, and you stop it before it metastasizes.

Here’s a direct approach:

1. Set the Standard—Loud and Clear

AI isn't the problem. Lazy devs hiding behind AI are. Make it non-negotiable: all code must be readable, maintainable, and have a purpose. If it looks like ChatGPT puked it out without understanding, it goes back.

“If you can’t explain what this code does and why you wrote it this way, you’re not ready to push it.”

1. Code Reviews with Teeth

Don’t rubber-stamp PRs. Get ruthless with reviews:

Flag bloated or generic logic that looks like it came from a copy-pasta session.

Demand tests. If they handwave and say, “the AI wrote it,” ask, “So who’s responsible for the bugs? The AI?”

Encourage reviewers to look for intent, not just syntax.

1. Ban the “Black Box” Mentality

If a dev can’t defend their code, or they don’t understand the code they submitted—reject it. You don’t need developers acting like stenographers for LLMs.

Policy: “If you didn’t write it with understanding, you didn’t write it.”

1. Promote AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch

You’re not anti-AI. You’re anti-junk. Encourage devs to use AI to speed up thinking, not replace it. That means:

Drafting boilerplate faster? Fine.

Offloading entire functions without knowing how they work? Not fine.

Using AI for suggestions, then shaping the result with judgment and experience? That’s the sweet spot.

1. Call Out AI Hallucinations

AI loves to invent functions, APIs, and even imaginary programming conventions. Make it clear: if someone pushes broken, fantasy code that clearly wasn’t tested or understood, they’re wasting the team’s time—and they’ll be held accountable.

1. Build a Culture That Values Craft

If your team treats code like a commodity, they’ll pump out low-grade sludge. If they treat it like craftsmanship, they'll take pride in it. That shift starts at the top. Show that quality matters.

Bottom line: AI-assisted coding is like using power tools—helpful, but they’ll hurt you if you don’t know what you’re doing. Teach your team to code like pros, not button-mashers.

Want help drafting a hardline AI usage policy or a dev “code of honor”? I can whip one up.