Ask HN: Does anti-virus software increase or worsen security?

Since quite a while I'm asking myself whether one is better off using an anti-virus software or not. The recently uncovered events concerning Kaspersky seem to support that one might be better off without an anti-virus software installed.

While I feel a bit naked without even a basic scanner installed, I also must admit that I feel uncomfortable with today's bloated "everything solutions" that obviously come with a huge attack surface from a security point of view.

How do HN readers deal with this situation?