As AI transforms how software is built, enterprises are grappling with an explosion of tools, platforms, and pipelines. In response, many organizations chase the promise of consolidation, believing that fewer tools equate to greater simplicity, better performance, and lower costs. But this silver bullet thinking often backfires.

Big bang migrations aimed at consolidating platforms rarely deliver the anticipated ROI. Instead, they introduce downtime, stifle innovation, and increase risk. And while vendor lock-in might appear to offer short-term efficiencies, it limits flexibility and forces teams into rigid, one-size-fits-all workflows that can't keep pace with change.

In this session, Shawn Ahmed, chief product officer at CloudBees, will challenge conventional thinking around consolidation. Drawing from real-world experience with Global 2000 enterprises, he’ll show how a more pragmatic approach that’s centered on flexibility, composability, and incremental modernization is helping leading organizations avoid lock-in, reduce risk, and empower teams to adopt the right tools at the right time. From modern control planes to secure software supply chains, this session will reframe the conversation: it’s not about choosing fewer tools—it’s about choosing freedom.