A friend asked me to vouch for software his buddy built with ChatGPT. I asked one question: "Can he explain how it works without asking ChatGPT?" Silence. That's the problem with AI democratization—it made coding accessible, not comprehensible. The software works until it doesn't. Then you're liable for exposed credentials, security holes, and €35M EU AI Act fines. You wouldn't vouch for a YouTube-trained surgeon. Don't vouch for YouTube-trained software.

A CTO asked me: "We can't stop using AI to code. So what's the actual checklist before production?" Here's the framework: four layers every AI-generated system must pass. Layer 1: Structural integrity (ISO 5055). Layer 2: Security auditing (SAST/DAST/SBOM). Layer 3: Compliance verification (GDPR/HIPAA/PCI-DSS). Layer 4: Human review (engineer + compliance officer). Skip one layer? You're gambling your business. Real cases: Babylon Health, Digit, RealPage—all failed basic gove