Day 0: The Start of Something Different

This year marks a new chapter for me in Advent of Code – one that involves ChatGPT and Large Language Models (LLMs). It’s the first time I’ll be integrating AI into my problem-solving process, and I’m curious (and a little excited) to see how it changes the experience. Will it speed me up? Will it change how I think about problems? Will it completely break my brain by solving everything before I even get my coffee? Let’s find out.

What is Advent of Code?

If you’re unfamiliar with it, Advent of Code is an annual programming event from December 1st to December 25th. Each day, a new coding puzzle is released, increasing in complexity as the month progresses. It’s a perfect blend of brain-teasing challenges, algorithm design, and competitive fun. Some people use it to learn a new programming language, while others try to dominate the leaderboard. For me, it’s always been about exploring creative solutions – and now, experimenting with AI.

What Impact Can LLMs Have on the Advent of Code?

LLMs, like ChatGPT, bring something new to the table. They’re great at quickly generating boilerplate code, explaining complex algorithms, or even debugging tricky issues. However, using them during Advent of Code isn’t without challenges. LLMs might:

• Solve problems too quickly, taking away the fun of struggling and figuring things out.

• Suggest solutions that are overly complex or not optimized for the leaderboard.

• Miss nuances in the problem statement (because hey, even AI can misread).

That’s why I’ve decided to set a few rules to keep things fair, challenging, and enjoyable.

Rules for My AI Engineer

I’ve defined some ground rules for how I’ll collaborate with my AI assistant this year:

1. AI is a collaborator, not a substitute.

I’ll guide the AI and review every suggestion it makes. No copy-pasting solutions without understanding them.

2. Use AI for learning, not cheating.

If I’m stuck, the AI can help explain concepts or suggest approaches, but I’ll avoid direct solutions unless necessary. Also, I will not use it to automate my participation in the leaderboard. (I am curious though about what others will do.)

3. Stay human-driven.

Creativity and problem-solving are still the priority. The AI will support me, but it won’t drive the process.

The Setup

Here’s the tech stack I’ll be using this year, including my AI assistant:

• Aider: A fascinating tool (found at aider.chat) that acts as an autonomous AI agent. It’s capable of:

  • Fetching the daily instructions,

  • Writing and editing code,

  • Creating and running tests,

  • Committing changes to a Git repository.

This setup is robust enough for the AI to participate independently in Advent of Code if I let it. It could even climb the leaderboard on its own—though I’m not planning to let it take over entirely.

That’s it for Day 0! I’m excited to see how this setup evolves over the next 25 days. Stay tuned as I share insights, challenges, and maybe even a few AI-driven “aha” moments along the way. Happy coding!