AI has transformed software development, but the biggest challenges I faced as a Tech Lead weren't technical—they were human. Teams started shipping code faster than ever, yet code quality became inconsistent. Junior developers relied too heavily on AI, code reviews had to evolve, engineering standards became harder to enforce, and balancing speed with maintainability became a daily challenge.

I'll share real stories from leading engineering teams through this shift, the mistakes we made, what worked, and the leadership principles that emerged. We'll discuss building trust in AI-generated code, redefining code reviews, mentoring in an AI-first world, preventing technical debt, making better architectural decisions, and creating a healthy engineering culture where AI amplifies developers instead of replacing critical thinking. You'll leave with practical strategies you can apply immediately to your own team.