Reviews have become expensive, rewrites have become cheap
ishmeetbindra.com
June 16, 2026
2 min read
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48/100
Summary
LLMs prioritize thorough solutions over simpler ones, often opting to build implementations rather than utilizing existing libraries. This behavior stems from their cognitive processing, where writing extensive code requires the same effort as writing minimal import statements.
Key Takeaways
- Reviewing AI-generated code has become more expensive due to the complexity and over-engineering of the code produced by LLMs.
- Rewriting code has become cheaper and quicker, as AI can simplify complex implementations effectively.
- The economics of software development have shifted, with a greater emphasis on upfront planning to avoid unnecessary complexity.
- The cost of flagging issues during code review is now lower, allowing for more aggressive iteration and feedback.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- The ability of LLMs to generate code quickly can significantly speed up development processes, although it requires careful oversight to avoid introducing errors.
- Optimistic merging strategies for human-generated code can enhance collaboration and lead to more innovative solutions, fostering a more dynamic development environment.
Concerns
- LLMs often exhibit shortcut learning, which can lead to incomplete or flawed implementations, raising concerns about their reliability in critical applications.
- Rewrites can be expensive and complex, particularly when dealing with poorly understood codebases, which undermines the notion that they are always a cheap solution.
- The tendency of LLMs to produce simplistic outputs can diminish the quality of generated content, making it challenging to achieve a human-like writing standard.
