Don’t ask for more staff if AI can already do the job, Shopify CEO says

Shopify encourages workers to experiment with AI
Constant learning and thriving on change are fundamental values
Headcount will remain “flat” but AI will be prioritized over new hires

The CEO of Shopify has spoken out about his affinity for artificial intelligence, and it’s clear that the tech is set to play a considerable role in the company’s future.

Tobias Lutke’s thoughts on AI had initially been leaked via an internal memo, but owing to the leaks, Lutke decided to share the exact words in an X post.

The memo details how the company should be focusing on improving the efficacy of artificial intelligence before managers ask to hire more human workers, with everyone at Shopify expected to be using AI.

Shopify appears to prioritize AI over human workers

Speaking about the technology, Lutke noted: “I use it all the time, but even I feel I’m only scratching the surface,” indicating how much more the company’s workers could be experimenting with AI to get work done.

Noting his appreciation for Sophify’s existing workforce, who are said to contribute 10x more than what he’s previously thought was possible, Lutke added that AI can now boost contributions by 10x, calling for workers and AI to mix for 100x more contributions.

He also referenced Shopify’s core values: to be a constant learner and to thrive on change. Using AI has now become a “fundamental expectation,” and AI questions are to be added to performance reviews for a better understanding of where workers reside with implementation.

Maybe the most interesting point in Lutke’s email, though, was that “teams must demonstrate why they cannot get what they want done using AI” before asking for more headcount and resources. Lutke encourages employees to consider how autonomous AI agents could be integrated into their teams.

In terms of the impacts on the workforce, CFO Jeff Hoffmeister shared an intention to “keep headcount relatively flat,” but that’s after a 20% headcount reduction (of 2,300 workers) in 2023 and a 10% (1,000) slash in 2022, alongside other smaller cullings.