(NewsNation) — The head of Shopify, one of the world’s biggest e-commerce platforms, has instructed staffers that before any new team members are added, they will need to prove the work cannot be done using artificial intelligence (AI).
In a memo to employees, CEO Tobi Lutke told workers to weigh their needs for new hires against AI’s capabilities before asking for more resources.
Lutke said he wants teams to prove what they need, writing that “teams must demonstrate why they cannot get what they want done using AI. What would this area look like if autonomous AI agents were already part of the team?”
AI will also be used in the company’s employee performance and peer review processes, according to Lutke’s memo.
Marva Bailer, founder and CEO of Qualaix, told NewsNation that Lutke’s plan is great motivation for staffers.
“He’s asking them to think about AI as the accelerator. Using the data that they have available, and their big ideas, and how that could augment their big ideas — and then he’ll give them investment,” Bailer said.
Bailer said in Shopify’s case, AI could help employees think like their customers and anticipate wants, needs and shopping patterns.
“This is about having quality work for their direct employees and really delighting and serving the customers,” Bailer said.
Shopify is far from alone in using AI. According to Exploding Topics data, 40% of companies worldwide reported using AI in their businesses last year.
“Using AI and technology reinforces your business controls because you know where information is going and you know who’s using it, and for what,” Bailer said. “It really saves so much time from your internal employees to really work on high-quality projects and think of new ideas.”
While AI has been criticized for inaccuracies or biased content, Bailer believes the technology can help prevent similar flubs in a customer-focused business like Shopify.
