The author of the text argues that traditional release testing is slowing down the pace of software releases and increasing cycle time. He proposes a new approach to bridge the test divide by automating large numbers of checks on every build, deploying to production continuously, monitoring traffic and logs for errors, and building the capability to rollback on failure. This approach transforms the role of testing from a manual process to a strategic one that balances risk, opportunity, reward, and time invested in release-testing. The author suggests separating components of the system, developing strategies that change the test effort based on which parts were changed, and using exploratory testing to vary the test approach to balance risk with cost.