Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke confirms leaked internal memo on social media about “hiring AI before humans”

A leaked internal memo from Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke has sparked a wave of attention across social media after it revealed just how far the company is leaning into artificial intelligence.Originally intended for employees, the memo laid out a blunt new reality: AI isn’t just a helpful tool at Shopify—it’s now the baseline. Teams must prove they’ve used AI to its fullest before asking for additional hires or resources. The message was clear: “Hire an AI before you hire a human.”After the leak, Lütke stepped in to confirm the memo—and take control of the story. “Context: This is a Shopify internal memo that I shared here because it was in the process of being leaked and (presumably) shown in bad faith,” he wrote on X.He didn’t just confirm it—he backed it fully. “If you’re not using AI by default at Shopify,” he added, “you’re behind.” The shift isn’t theoretical. It’s already reshaping how work gets done across the company.

AI First, Humans Second

The memo, titled “AI usage is now a baseline expectation”, lays it all out. Before asking for more team members or extra resources, Shopify employees need to show they’ve already explored what can be done with AI.“Stagnation is almost certain, and stagnation is slow-motion failure,” Lütke writes. “If you’re not climbing, you’re sliding.”That line isn’t just meant to sound intense—it reflects a hard shift in mindset across the company. Shopify isn’t experimenting with AI anymore. It’s going all-in. AI used to be encouraged. Now, it’s mandatory.Employees are expected to integrate AI into their work by default. Tools like Copilot, Claude, Cursor, and internal platforms like chat.shopify.io and Proxy are all part of the standard toolkit. Lütke refers to AI not just as something helpful, but as a multiplier—turning 10X employees into 100X teams.The memo makes clear that AI is now part of the day-to-day, not some future project. Performance reviews will factor in AI usage. Prototypes are expected to be AI-led. People who know how to write better prompts will have an edge.