The debate around artificial intelligence (AI) replacing human jobs has once again intensified with a bold announcement from Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke, who has declared that AI integration is now a mandatory part of the company’s workflow. In a detailed internal memo shared publicly on X (formerly Twitter), Lütke introduced a sweeping change in company policy that could reshape how employees approach work — and even how their performance is measured. In the message, Lütke emphasized that reflexive AI usage is now a baseline expectation at Shopify. Teams must prove that AI cannot perform a given task before requesting additional headcount or resources. This new approach makes AI not just a helpful tool, but a prerequisite for problem-solving and task execution within the Canadian e-commerce giant. “What would this area look like if autonomous AI agents were already part of the team?” Lütke posed, encouraging every department to rethink their workflows through the lens of AI capabilities. He asserted that this expectation includes everyone in the company—from entry-level staff to top executives, including himself.

AI Now Central to Shopify’s Culture and Performance Metrics

Lütke's memo reflects not just a change in tools, but a paradigm shift in Shopify’s work culture. The company is no longer treating AI as an optional enhancement but as a core part of how it operates. This AI-first mindset ties directly into employee evaluations, as Lütke confirmed that AI usage will be included in performance reviews and peer assessments. “Using AI well is a skill that needs to be carefully learned by using it a lot. It’s just too unlike everything else,” Lütke explained. He encouraged employees to master prompting techniques and context-building when interacting with AI tools. Team members will also be expected to solicit peer feedback on how they’re evolving in their AI usage, ensuring that learning is collaborative and continuous. Shopify has already rolled out several AI-powered tools for internal and external use, including Sidekick, a chatbot that assists merchants, and Shopify Magic, a suite of automation features. Developers at the company have access to platforms like Copilot, Claude, and Cursor, and all employees can use internal support tools like chat.shopify.io.

Lütke shared examples of how employees who embraced AI tools were able to accomplish "implausible tasks" and deliver output at 100x scale. “For the first time, we see the tools become 10X themselves,” he said, highlighting how the productivity gains are now exponential in nature. The memo aligns with Shopify’s values of “Be a Constant Learner” and “Thrive on Change,” reinforcing the company’s belief in evolution through technology. According to Lütke, the early prototyping phase of any project — known internally as the “GSD prototype phase” — should be dominated by AI-driven exploration, accelerating ideation and problem-solving. While many in the tech industry have positioned AI as an assistive tool that enhances human potential, Shopify’s approach moves a step further. By making AI usage mandatory and linking it to resource approvals and employee performance, the company is formally acknowledging the transformational impact of AI on modern work structures.

This development also feeds into the larger global debate about AI's growing role in the workplace. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said that AI already completes more than half of coding tasks in some companies, while Google claims 25% of its code is now written by AI. Replit CEO Amjad Massad even suggested that learning to code might soon become obsolete, with AI tools taking over the bulk of programming tasks. Critics argue that such dependence on AI may lead to a reduction in job opportunities, especially for entry-level roles. However, advocates like Lütke see AI as a massive productivity enabler, offering more room for creative thinking, faster execution, and leaner teams that can deliver more. In closing his memo, Lütke reaffirmed Shopify’s commitment to embracing the future with open arms. “AI will totally change Shopify, our work, and the rest of our lives. We’re all in on this!” he wrote, making it abundantly clear that at Shopify, AI is no longer the future — it’s the present. As companies across the globe watch closely, Shopify's new AI mandate might become a template for tech-forward businesses navigating the balance between automation and human creativity.