When I first started learning Python, I was excited—but also overwhelmed.
I watched tutorials, read docs, and tried small exercises. But every time I faced a real coding problem, I got stuck. I didn’t always know what to search on Google, or why my code wasn’t working. That’s when I discovered how powerful AI could be—not just as a search tool, but as a real-time coding assistant.
💡 Using AI Like a Coding Mentor
At first, I started using ChatGPT (and later other tools like GitHub Copilot) to ask small questions:
“What does NoneType object is not subscriptable mean?”
“How do I write a function that returns True if a number is prime?”
But quickly, I realized AI could do more than just answer isolated questions. It could explain concepts, fix my bugs, and even teach me best practices.
🧪 Example: Writing My First Web Scraper
I wanted to build a simple Python scraper using requests and BeautifulSoup. Here's how AI helped me:
Understanding what libraries I need
I asked: “How do I scrape a website using Python?”
The AI suggested requests and bs4, and explained what each one does.
Writing the basic code structure
I pasted a sample URL and asked the AI to generate a starting script. It even reminded me to add headers to avoid being blocked!
Fixing errors in real-time
When I got an error about encoding, I didn’t panic. I pasted the error into ChatGPT, and it explained what was wrong in plain English.
Improving and learning
After it worked, I asked: “How can I make this scraper more robust?” It taught me about try/except, pagination, and checking status_code.
I wasn’t just copy-pasting—I was learning as I built.
🔍 Debugging with AI
One of the hardest parts as a beginner is debugging. Error messages used to feel like hieroglyphics. But now, I just paste the error into AI and ask:
“What does this mean?”
“How do I fix it?”
And the AI often breaks it down step by step, like a friendly senior developer would.
🚀 Building Confidence and Momentum
The biggest help AI gave me wasn’t just technical—it was emotional.
Before, I would get stuck and frustrated, and sometimes stop coding for days. Now, I can move forward quickly. AI doesn’t judge “dumb” questions. It’s always available. And it helps me keep the momentum going, which is so important for beginners.
🤖 Tools I Use
Here are some AI tools that helped me as a Python beginner:
ChatGPT: For explanations, debugging help, and code suggestions.
GitHub Copilot: For code autocompletion in VS Code.
Gemini/Claude: Occasionally, for comparing answers or getting different takes.
🧠 But I Still Try to Understand
AI is amazing, but I try not to become lazy. I use it to learn, not just to copy.
Every time it gives me code, I ask:
“Why is it written this way?”
“What does each part do?”
I even make flashcards from the AI’s explanations!
✨ Final Thoughts
As a Python beginner, I feel incredibly lucky to be learning in the age of AI. It’s like having a mentor who’s always patient, always available, and speaks my language (even when I barely speak Python).
If you’re just starting out, don’t be afraid to use AI tools. But use them to understand, not just to finish tasks. That’s how I’m slowly growing—from confused beginner to confident coder.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you’ve also used AI in your coding journey—I’d love to hear your experience 😊
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