It's Time to Clean Up Human Slop (thenewstack.io)

In a recent discussion, Avital Tamir advocates for a significant redesign of the code review process, arguing that AI now surpasses human developers in identifying coding errors. As AI tools increasingly generate code, relying on traditional peer reviews—a system often plagued by delays and superficial feedback—may hinder development efficiency. Tamir describes these inefficiencies as “human slop,” typified by wasted time on minor stylistic issues that AI could automatically flag. He proposes that software engineers should perform rigorous self-reviews with AI assistance, fostering accountability and quicker iteration. Tamir highlights that using AI-driven code review tools, like CodeRabbit and Claude Code Review, can optimize the process by allowing developers to review their own work while minimizing reliance on external approvals. This shift can enhance innovation speed, enabling teams to ship features faster and adapt to market changes. He emphasizes that the role of peer reviews should evolve, focusing on high-stakes decisions while trusting engineers to manage their own code quality with AI support, ultimately moving towards a more efficient, accountable development culture.