Speed changes what's worth doing — code becomes a consumable, not an asset¶
Insight: When AI collapses execution cost to near-zero, three fundamental shifts occur: (1) verification becomes cheaper than prediction — build three divergent approaches simultaneously instead of debating which to pursue; (2) code becomes a consumable rather than an asset — "single-use software" (a dashboard used for one week during Q4 planning) is built and deleted, not maintained; (3) roles and specializations exist only as long as the problem does — you don't hire an analyst, you maintain a system for answering questions instantly. The mental threshold for "worth fixing" vanishes when every fix is cheap.
Detail: Shankar frames this as "Think → Automate" consistently — the question shifts from "how can I do this in less time?" to "how does this change what is worth doing?" Speed eliminates agonizing prioritization: you stop managing backlogs based on effort and start fixing problems purely based on impact. Roadmaps become liabilities when you can build anything in a week — swap plotting for steering.
Sources
- Shrivu Shankar — "Move Faster" (2026-01-26)