Reflexive Use of AI
A memo by Shopify’s CEO Tobi Lütke sets a company-wide expectation for the use of AI, not just throughout the company but also encourages employees to think about how their end users can use AI. Everyone needs to read this because it marks a pivotal moment in how everyone should be using AI to hundredfold increase what they can accomplish and to visualize how AI can be employed for end users as well.
The Heart of the Memo
The heart of the memo is the CEO’s encouragement of discovering how AI can be applied to every aspect of how work gets done internally, citing his own usage of AI and how he feels he’s only scratching the surface of how it can be integrated into his own workflow. He asks all employees to "tinker" with AI and encourage company-wide adoption so that the usage of AI becomes reflexive.
Workplace Expectations and Requirements
What’s important about the Lütke memo is that it sets expectations about the use of AI in the workplace in a way that should serve as an inspiration for how all workplaces may consider following as well. Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of all Shopify employees and it will be factored into the peer and performance review questionnaires. Employees will be mandated to demonstrate why AI cannot be used to accomplish goals before asking for more resources.
AI at Every Workflow Step
The memo sets the expectation that AI must be involved during the GSD (Get Sh*t Done) prototype phase and at a "fraction of the time it used to take." Teams are also encouraged to envision their projects as if AI were also a part of the team.
Learning, Collaboration, and Community
The other exciting part of Lütke’s memo for AI usage in the workplace is that he encourages employees to share their discoveries and breakthroughs with each other so that all employees can benefit from new and creative ways of getting things done with AI, to share all of their wins with each other.
Takeaways
Lütke’s memo shows how AI is radically changing the workplace at Shopify and how it can spread across every workforce, including your own.
Conclusion
Shopify is envisioning the next stage of ecommerce entrepreneurship, AI-everything, where AI is an ubiquitous presence for merchants. This is an example of the kind of leadership all entrepreneurs and small businesses should have, to start thinking of how they can integrate AI for themselves and their customers instead of lowering the window blinds to spy across the street to see what competitors are doing.
FAQs
Q: What is the main idea of Tobi Lütke’s memo?
A: The main idea of Tobi Lütke’s memo is to encourage the use of AI throughout the company and to think about how end users can use AI.
Q: What is the expectation for AI usage in the workplace?
A: Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of all Shopify employees and it will be factored into the peer and performance review questionnaires.
Q: What is the goal of the memo?
A: The goal of the memo is to make AI an ubiquitous presence for merchants and to encourage the use of AI at every workflow step.
Q: What is the most important part of the memo?
A: The most important part of the memo is the encouragement of discovering how AI can be applied to every aspect of how work gets done internally.
