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SHOPIFY’S AI-FIRST STRATEGY MIRRORS BROADER TRENDS IN THE TECH WORLD. OPENAI CEO SAM ALTMAN RECENTLY REVEALED THAT AI COMPLETES OVER 50% OF CODING TASKS AT SOME COMPANIES. New Delhi: AI is

no longer optional at Shopify: The fear of AI replacing human jobs has resurfaced — this time with a strong statement from Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke. In an internal memo now public on X

(formerly Twitter), Lütke declared a new standard for hiring at the company: “Before asking for more headcount, prove AI can’t do the job.” This move places artificial intelligence at the

core of Shopify’s operations, setting a bold new direction for the Canadian e-commerce giant. USING AI IS NOW A BASELINE EXPECTATION Lütke made it clear that AI is not just a helpful tool

but a required part of every employee’s workflow. “Reflexive AI usage is now a baseline expectation at Shopify,” he wrote, adding that this rule applies to all staff — including senior

leadership. The CEO emphasized that every team must consider how AI could autonomously handle tasks before requesting human resources. AI PERFORMANCE TO BE TRACKED IN REVIEWS In a major

cultural shift, Shopify will now factor AI proficiency into employee performance and peer reviews. Staff are expected to show how effectively they use AI tools in their day-to-day work, even

if it takes effort to learn. “Using AI well is a skill that needs to be carefully learned by using it a lot,” Lütke explained, noting that prompting and context-setting are essential. FROM

CODING TO CRITIQUING: AI AS A PARTNER Lütke urged employees to view AI as a versatile partner — capable of helping with everything from coding and research to writing, teaching, and even

giving feedback. He shared that he personally uses AI tools often, though he admits there's still much to explore. Shopify has already rolled out AI-powered solutions like Sidekick for

business owners and “Shopify Magic” for task automation. MASSIVE PRODUCTIVITY GAINS FROM AI ADOPTION According to Lütke, AI has already unlocked tremendous productivity at Shopify. He cited

instances where employees achieved 100X output by leveraging AI. “For the first time, we see the tools become 10X themselves,” he said, calling the shift “unlike anything else” in his tech

career. AI TRAINING AND TOOLS ARE NOW WIDELY AVAILABLE To support the transition, Shopify is equipping its workforce with cutting-edge AI tools. Developers can access Copilot, Claude, and

Cursor, while all employees can use internal platforms like chat.shopify.io. Lütke emphasized that early-stage projects should now begin with AI-driven prototypes, calling this phase ideal

for experimentation and rapid learning. A GROWING DEBATE ACROSS TECH INDUSTRY Meanwhile, Google reports that a quarter of its code is AI-generated. Some leaders, like Replit CEO Amjad

Massad, even suggest that learning to code might soon become obsolete.