Shopify’s bet on AI models. According to a memo Lütke posted on X, he already uses AI systems to assist with many of his tasks. He encouraged all employees to develop their skills with these tools to boost productivity.
According to the memo, Shopify already uses several AI models tailored for different tasks, including Microsoft’s Copilot, Anthropic’s Claude, and Cursor. “What we need to succeed is our collective sum total skill and ambition at applying our craft, multiplied by AI, for the benefit of our merchants,” Lütke said.
AI is the future. Lütke says not enough people have embraced the technology. He’s intensified his message, shifting from suggestions to enforceable policies.
“Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify,” the CEO wrote. Employees will be evaluated on their use of AI tools in their workflows. “It’s a tool of all trades today, and will only grow in importance. Frankly, I don’t think it’s feasible to opt out of learning the skill of applying AI in your craft,” he stated.
Using AI tools in the innovation phase. Lütke believes integrating current AI tools into the prototyping phase for new features is essential—a process the company has already documented. He says AI will transform and accelerate this process by simplifying the documentation of different areas. Other companies, such as AWS, have also applied AI models in this way, allowing engineers to spend more time improving products.
“Prototypes are meant for learning and creating information. AI dramatically accelerates this process. You can learn to produce something that other team mates can look at, use, and reason about in a fraction of the time it used to take,” Lütke said.
Not using AI means no more resources. One condition that shows how seriously Shopify takes its AI model integration is that employees must prove an AI tool can’t complete a task or goal before requesting more staff or resources.
In other words, before hiring or investing in new tools, project managers must exhaust all current AI options. This approach changes staffing dynamics for new projects, encouraging resource efficiency through AI instead of overexpanding staffing—as happened from 2020 to 2022—leading to major layoffs and staff relocations in 2023 and 2024.
A helper, not a replacement. Shopify views AI models as support tools to help employees do their jobs more efficiently—not as a replacement for people.
Lütke shares this view with other tech leaders, including AWS CEO Matt Garman and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who said in an interview that “AI will multiply the productivity of employees by a factor of 10.” They believe AI tools will significantly contribute to product creation and accelerate development by automating routine tasks.
Image | deepak pal
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The post Shopify’s CEO Has a Clear Message: ‘Using AI Effectively Is Now a Fundamental Expectation of Everyone’ at His Company appeared first on Xataka On.
