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Anthropic tries to hide Claude's AI actions. Devs hate it (theregister.com)

398 points by beardyw · 246 days ago · 233 comments on HN

Article summary

Anthropic has updated its AI coding tool, Claude Code, to hide the names of files the tool is working on, which has been met with criticism from developers who need to see this information for security, debugging, and auditing purposes. The company's creator, Boris Cherny, responded to the feedback by repurposing the existing verbose mode setting to show file paths, but this change has not fully addressed the concerns. Developers are concerned that the lack of transparency will lead to mistakes and wasted resources. The debate highlights the tension between simplifying the user interface and providing necessary information for developers.

Main themes

  • AI coding tools
  • Transparency and debugging
  • Developer feedback and concerns
  • User interface design
  • Security and auditing
  • AI development and trust

What commenters say

  • The new update to Claude Code has made it more difficult for developers to understand what files the tool is accessing, leading to potential security and debugging issues.
  • The repurposed verbose mode setting does not provide a sufficient solution to the problem, as it either shows too little or too much information.
  • Some developers prefer alternative AI coding tools, such as OpenCode, which offer more transparency and customization options.
  • The decision to hide file names may be motivated by a desire to simplify the user interface, but it ultimately undermines the trust and control that developers need to effectively use the tool.
  • The lack of transparency in Claude Code may lead to wasted resources and mistakes, as developers are unable to intervene or correct the tool's actions in a timely manner.
  • The debate highlights a broader issue in AI development, where the pursuit of simplicity and ease of use can compromise the need for transparency, accountability, and control.
  • Some developers are exploring workarounds and alternative solutions, such as using proxies or modifying the tool's behavior, to address the limitations of Claude Code.
  • The controversy surrounding Claude Code's update reflects a deeper tension between the needs of developers and the goals of AI tool creators, which must be balanced in order to create effective and trustworthy tools.