Building a Chrome Extension to Make AI Use More Intentional

This is a developer essay that doubles as a build log for a Chrome extension designed to add intentional friction before you reach for an AI assistant. The thesis is that reflexive AI use is degrading certain developer skills, and a small UX intervention — a pause prompt — can recalibrate the habit. The extension itself is not a polished product for download; it is a weekend project described in enough detail that you could replicate or fork it. What makes it worth a mention is that the underlying question — when should a developer reach for AI and when should they not — is genuinely live for small engineering teams right now. The build is simple enough that a solo founder could adapt the idea in an afternoon. Reservation: this is an opinion piece with code attached, not a tool with ongoing maintenance. Take the idea, not necessarily the artifact. -> Best for: solo founder or technical PM thinking about AI usage norms on a small team