I've been referring to this as honing a codebase (like a knife). I've used AI to vibecode sloppy one-off scripts, demos, and proof of concepts. But then I've turned around and used it to hammer in actual projects to a level of quality I just would not have had the time or motivation to achieve previously.

That is a choice I make every day when I get into an argument with Claude about the chosen design and how I find it insufficient. Does it slow me down? Sure, a little. But at least I know the foundation is bedrock instead of sand.