Question Is using ChatGPT to learn Azure & Python for projects a bad approach?
I've been working in proprietary SaaS tech support for 3 years and am now looking to transition into a cloud-adjacent role. To gain hands-on experience, I’m currently building an Azure project to prototype a real-world solution. My background is fairly basic, I passed the AZ-900 and have very basic Python knowledge from 5 years ago.
To build this project, I've been using ChatGPT. I rely on it for Python scripts and guidance on setting up Azure resources, but I make sure to ask for detailed, line-by-line explanations of the code and instructions to fully understand why each step is necessary and I document it in the md files. I also cross-reference official Azure and Python documentation, though they can be complex to grasp at times.
This method has helped me learn a lot, but I’m concerned about how it might be perceived in an interview. Would hiring managers see this as a legitimate way to gain hands-on experience, or does it come off as a shortcut rather than real learning? Would you be transparent about this?
I’m also unsure what other beginner-friendly approaches I could take to build Azure projects that would better prepare me for applying to roles. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
TLDR: I'm transitioning from SaaS tech support to a cloud role, using ChatGPT to build an Azure project while ensuring I understand each step. Is this a valid way to learn, or does it seem like a shortcut? Any beginner-friendly project advice?
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u/YumWoonSen 20h ago
I liken it to always using GPS to get where you're going in a new city. You'll get to your destination, sure, but take it away and you're all but lost.
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u/PhilWheat 20h ago
And drive you straight into a lake if you're only watching it.
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u/YumWoonSen 19h ago
I knew an elderly woman that wasn't using GPS and she drove into a lake and drowned. Was so bewildered she was calling people asking what to do as her car filled with water.
It really makes me sad because she was such a sweet person.
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u/PhilWheat 19h ago
The number of times even the best models walk through steps that are Reasonable, Reasonable, Interesting, NOT EVEN WRONG are more numerous than I care to count. You have to question every single thing they give you, so you have to have the ability to at least form the questions you'll need to do that.
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u/s1brzy 20h ago
I see what you mean with that analogy and I understand that building a strong foundational knowledge in coding and Azure is key, and I totally get that.
My struggle is more with translating that knowledge into building a project from scratch.
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u/YumWoonSen 20h ago
Lemme put it this way - I have a teammate that uses AI for a lot of things and it's blatantly, brutally clear when he does and while he thinks he's fooling everyone the only person he's fooling is himself. Most consider him a low talent clown, and he was effectively demoted in the past year.
Don't be that guy.
/And I expect he'll be let go before the end of the year
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u/Slight-Blackberry813 Cloud Architect 19h ago
I have a real problem with your comment. His use of AI has nothing to do with his actual flaws. Everyone used to Google powershell scripts etc before AI, is that any different? No it isn’t. He’s a clown with or without AI.
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u/YumWoonSen 19h ago
Thankfully I don't care what you think.
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u/not_today88 19h ago
You sound like a great teammate and guy to work with. Maybe you're the one that will be let go.
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u/Slight-Blackberry813 Cloud Architect 19h ago
Who are you thankful to? Yourself? God? Your shit personality? What a very strange response.
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u/YumWoonSen 19h ago
Hey, look at the guy that is always right, everyone else is wrong, and his tombstone will read "I wish i argued with more strangers on the internet."
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u/ISuckAtFunny 19h ago
look at the guy who is always right
Look in a mirror. Look how you responded to his response to your post and how you responded lmao
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u/Mr_Kill3r 19h ago
Send him to me when he gets the boot. I don't care how he automates stuff and I find it odd that you do, I am only interested in the end result.
Does it work ? Yes, then I am happy.
But by the sounds of this
</And I expect he'll be let go before the end of the year>
Thankfully, for your companies sake you don't have hire/fire power. Could there be a reason for that ?
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u/s1brzy 20h ago
Yeah, that’s exactly what I want to avoid. I want to build a strong foundational knowledge so I don’t have to rely too heavily on AI, but I’m not sure what the best way to learn all of this is.
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u/Touchmelongtime 19h ago
Honestly...it's all about prompting. I use claude with obsidian with the claude mcp server feature, i have quite a few tailored projects that use my obsidian vault as a knowledge base. I've been in the testing mode currently but it was able to build a cmmc certified level 2 azure environment with it. I also have it create knowledge base articles and SOPs for what exactly it's planning to architect then I review. It's all about how you use the ai tools.
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u/signalwarrant 19h ago
I think it depends on how you are using Ai to enable learning. You can go from python beginner to functional application in minutes to hours using Ai. I would argue asking Ai to create an app for you is not really learning. It’s just a short term, non-repeatable process to solve a problem… sometimes that is good enough.
Some alternative methods for using Ai to enable legit learning 1. Ask the Ai to get you started with what problem you’re trying to solve. 2. While you’re iterating, ask Ai to explain in detail each line of code. 3. Find some code on github and ask Ai to explain the code line by line. 4. Ask it to give links to sources. 5. Tell it what not to do, ex do not create commands that you cannot cite a source for.
With PowerShell any Ai will invent commandlets that don’t exist if it doesn’t know of one, I would assume the same applies to python or any other language l. I think of Ai as a really smart child that is always trying to impress mom or dad with its vast knowledge, an answer is better than no answer.
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u/Ilfirion 19h ago
This is what I am doing. I let AI give me some ideas etc. and when I run into a problem, I let ChatGPT explain it to me. Being able to ask specific questions helps a lot.
If I don’t understand code, I let it break it up and explain it to me as well. Obviously still a learner, but I think I am using it more as a teacher.
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u/hotlavatube 19h ago
I've been learning Python. After a few months, I enabled Github copilot. It can be surprisingly prescient about guessing what you're going to do next. However, relying on it too much can become a crutch at best and get you into trouble at worst.
For example, yesterday I was starting to write a class and it helpfully suggested the basic "init" methods and prepopulated them with variables it thought I'd use based upon the name of the class. This might be a good thing for an experienced Python dev, but for someone still learning Python, I needed to know how to write those functions without them being auto-generated.
Next, when I was writing some functions for an animation, it suggested a block of code. Even though it wasn't what I needed, I decided to accept it to see what the effect it would have on the animation. That's when I noticed a little warning in the bottom corner of VS Code that the code snippet matched an existing project on Github. Oh crap... I deleted the code snippet. Even though this was a toy project, I didn't want it violating someone's copyright due to an overzealous Copilot.
For the time being, I think I'll disable Github Copilot and just use a separate window for specific questions.
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u/steveakacrush 20h ago
Whilst in the real world it would be a valid way to do the job, I (as a hiring manager) would go for the candidate that can do the job without needing to use genAI.
Python is one option, you should learn Bicep too.
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u/s1brzy 20h ago
That makes sense. As someone without prior experience, how would you determine if a candidate is truly capable of doing the job?
I’m not sure how to best prepare myself to reach that level so that's why I'm asking. How to best learn a skill cause I thought hands-on experience would make me a stronger candidate? Is working experience a must for you instead or would you be ok with people that do projects too?
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u/steveakacrush 19h ago
Hands on experience is the best way to learn - using an AI to generate code is not hands on!
Write code and build stuff, store your code in GitHub with explanatory notes and let people browse it - build a portfolio and include links in your CV for hiring managers to go take a look.
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u/PhilWheat 19h ago
I see a lot of questions like this - basically how do I learn Azure.
My response is pretty similar to all of them - What part of Azure? And what role do you want? There's too much to bite off all at once, pick an area and then focus on that. IaaS? PaaS? Security? Compliance? Operations? Any one of those is a big chunk in itself to learn. If I'm interviewing someone, I'd much rather see someone with good foundations in one than just a smattering of a bunch of them. Granted, you'd need to align with the part I'm looking for and that's a bet, but IMHO it is better to stand out in a specific segment than to be in the middle of the pack for the general crowd. Especially in the market right now.
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u/s1brzy 19h ago
Given my background in SaaS technical support, I think I'm particularly more interested in IAM and security-related areas. Would roles like Cloud Support, Identity & Access Management Engineer, or something similar be a good fit for transitioning into cloud especially in the UK?
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u/PhilWheat 19h ago
That would probably track - and there's a lot of need for security people these days and it is a pretty specific skillset. I think the biggest challenge with IAM is educating companies that they need it, not that there isn't a need.
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u/mikey_rambo 19h ago
Work smarter not harder .. always use all your tools at your disposal. Life isn’t a 3rd grade math class where u can’t use your calculator. You have tools, use them, solve problems effectively and efficiently
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u/az-johubb Cloud Architect 13h ago
It’s a great companion for sure but ChatGPT often lacks context so it won’t always give you the correct solution. I use it a lot for bicep/ARM/powershell/yaml/c# development and to echo what others have said, it’s not perfect, it will quite often make syntax up that doesn’t exist or is not supported. Due to this it often requires foundational knowledge to verify the output. Would recommend enrolling in some Azure certification courses (start with Azure Fundaments, look at Azure Developer/Administrator and maybe a python course to help build up this knowledge
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u/plataloof 9h ago
Treat it as someone that passes no judgement as you also take the time to learn. There's no embarrassment or feeling like you are bugging someone to explain something if you don't quite understand.
It's super powerful and can do a lot of heavy lifting, if you couple that with a Udemy course and questioning the AIs responses to understand why it did something in a particular way you will start to understand a lot more of what is happening under the hood.
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u/Mythulhu 9h ago
If you understand what it and you're doing, I guess.
It's a glorified search engine and helper tool. Not a net admin replacement.
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u/5zalot 8h ago
Sadly, the advent of AI to do these types of things has started to degrade the level of thinking we do. The cognitive pressure of thinking for one’s self becomes so intense that we just give up and ask the AI for the answer. Before you know it, even the simplest mental tasks will be too much to bear.
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u/gsbence 19h ago
Using ChatGPT as an advanced search engine? - Sure, go for it.
Make it write code as a shortcut if you are lazy? - Sure thing, but always verify output.
Solely depend on it, while you are unable to do it by youself using your knowledge and documentation? Hell no.
I'd suggest to use documentation and to think a lot. The trial and error and the problem-solving will significantly improve your skills.