# Bad Ideas That Aren't Bad Anymore

> AI tools are fixing old tech mistakes, making outdated practices work better.
- Title: Bad Ideas That Aren't Bad Anymore · Devon C. Estes | Shortify
- Summary: AI tools are fixing old tech mistakes, making outdated practices work better. Software leader Devon C.
- Keywords: code review, ai tools, software engineering, team collaboration, technical expertise, product development, knowledge silos, context switching, Devon C. Estes
- Source: Devon C. Estes — https://devonestes.com/bad-ideas-that-arent-bad-anymore
- Published: 2026-11-06T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: code review, ai tools, software engineering, team collaboration, technical expertise, product development, knowledge silos, context switching, technology, startups
## My 15 years of tech experience
I’ve worked in software for 15 years, learning from mistakes and others’ errors to solve technical and non-technical problems.
## Code review changed
We stopped human code reviews and now use ai to open prs, with engineers merging their own work after ai checks.
## Why code review works now
The ai reviewer finds small bugs better than humans, while the engineer who owns the ticket understands the problem best.
## Splitting teams across streams
We split work into separate streams, letting each person own one stream without knowledge silos.
## Why splitting works
Claude helps jump into others’ work quickly, reducing context switching time from days to minutes.
## Deep expertise is less valuable
Deep tech expertise is less valuable now that ai can answer questions faster than humans.
## What’s more valuable now
Strong engineering fundamentals and product knowledge are now more important than deep tech expertise.
## Other ideas I’m side-eyeing
Rewriting from scratch, building tools, and testing in production are now less risky with ai.
## What I got wrong
My gut felt things were bad ideas because of high costs, but ai has changed those costs.
## The cost of intuition
My 15 years of intuition for tech decisions is now giving bad answers more often than before.
## What’s next
I’m trying to ask what the cost is before deciding if something is a bad idea, to let teams prove me wrong.
## Adapting is key
Leaders who can adapt and learn faster will do better than those with more experience.
## The real change
ai tools are changing how teams work, making outdated practices work better without the risks they once had.
## What matters now
The ability to adapt and learn new skills faster matters more than having the most experience.
## The lesson
When intuition tells you something is a bad idea, ask what the cost is and whether it still exists.
## The future
Teams that test ideas quickly and adapt will thrive in ai-driven tech environments.
## Key takeaway

Software leader Devon C. Estes says AI tools are making common tech practices like code reviews and deep expertise less risky, changing how teams work.