Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke has declared that AI will be central to the company’s operations, signaling a major cultural shift. In an internal memo posted on X, Lütke stated that employees must justify why AI cannot handle a task before seeking more staff or resources. “Reflexive AI usage is now a baseline expectation,” he wrote, noting this applies to all levels, including executives. AI will also be a factor in employee performance and peer reviews.

Lütke emphasized that using AI well is a skill that requires consistent learning and practice. Shopify is equipping its workforce with tools like Copilot, Claude, and internal platform chat.shopify.io to support this transition. The CEO highlighted AI’s role in accelerating tasks during early project phases, calling it a “massive productivity booster.”

Shopify has already launched tools like Sidekick and “Shopify Magic” to aid merchants and staff. Lütke’s approach reflects broader industry trends, with leaders like Sam Altman and Google acknowledging AI’s growing role in coding and productivity. Lütke sees AI as transformative: “We’re all in on this.”