Shopify CEO Says Prove AI Can't Do the Job Before Hiring

"If AI Can Do It, Why Hire a Human?" – Shopify CEO's Bold New Rule Sparks Debate

Tobi Lütke, the CEO of Shopify—a company that’s far from “small” with nearly $10 billion in annual revenue and over 8,000 employees—recently made headlines in the tech world. Not because of a new product drop or acquisition. No, this time it was a leaked internal memo that set Twitter (and probably more than a few Slack threads) on fire.

In this memo, Lütke laid out a few simple—but highly charged—principles for how his company is adapting to the age of AI. While all of his points are interesting, it’s point number five that sparked the most buzz:

"If you're a manager at Shopify and you want to hire someone, you better be ready to prove—beyond a shadow of a doubt—why AI can't do that job instead."

That’s not subtle. And it's not just theoretical. Lütke is laying down a blueprint for the future of work, and it’s one every tech employee should be paying attention to.

🧭 So What Exactly Did Lütke Say?

Let’s break down the key points from the memo:

1. Everyone Must Learn to Use AI—No Excuses

Lütke didn’t mince words. Every single employee is expected to know how to work with artificial intelligence. Not "maybe someday." Not "when it’s relevant." Now. If you’re not leveraging AI in your workflow, he argues, you’re falling behind—while the rest of your peers are sprinting ahead.

It’s a clear line in the sand: adapt or fall into professional stagnation.

2. Prototypes Must Be Built With AI—Fast

Gone are the days when building a proof-of-concept took weeks of coordination and a team of specialists. According to Lütke, AI can now help turn ideas into functioning prototypes in mere hours. Think: code generation, website building, technical documentation—automated, efficient, and lightning fast.

If your team isn't doing this, then you're simply not innovating at the speed of modern tech.

3. Performance Reviews Will Include AI Proficiency

Lütke made it clear: AI is not a "nice to have"—it’s part of the job. Employees who don’t make the effort to learn and use AI tools will be identified through end-of-year performance reviews and internal surveys.

And if you tried using AI but gave up too quickly? That's not going to fly either. Shopify’s new culture demands persistence, experimentation, and learning curves. If you’re not up for that challenge, the company may no longer be the right fit.

4. If You Can't Replace the Role With AI—Then You Can Hire

Here’s the controversial part. Shopify managers are now being asked to justify every new hire with a key question: Why can’t AI do this instead?

This isn't about laying people off en masse—it’s about thinking smarter before scaling teams. It’s a push to do more with less, using AI as a force multiplier. It signals a shift across the entire tech industry: companies may grow productivity dramatically, while hiring slows to a crawl.

🚨 What This Means for the Tech World

Lütke's stance isn’t just a Shopify thing. It’s the start of a wider movement we’re seeing across Silicon Valley and beyond: AI is changing the rules of hiring, team structure, and innovation speed.

This memo reflects a bigger trend:

• Companies aren't racing to fire workers—but they are rethinking how many people they really need.
• AI tools are becoming so effective that entire departments might be condensed into one person who knows how to prompt, tweak, and manage the right software.
• The biggest winners in this new era? Employees who embrace AI, learn fast, and use it to supercharge their output.

👩‍💻 What Should You Do as an Employee?

If you want to stay relevant—and employed—here’s your cheat sheet:

• Learn to use AI tools. Even if you're not a developer, tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Notion AI, or Midjourney can streamline your workflow.
• Use AI to build prototypes fast. Turn that idea into a proof of concept in a weekend, not a month.
• Be persistent. Don’t quit on AI just because it doesn’t work perfectly the first time. Tinker. Learn. Adapt.
• Act like a manager of AI—not just a worker. The future belongs to those who know how to orchestrate AI tools like a conductor with a digital symphony.

If you can do all that? You’re not just safe—you’re essential.

Tobi Lütke's memo isn’t just a corporate directive—it’s a wake-up call. AI isn’t coming for your job... unless you’re pretending it doesn’t exist. The companies that move fastest, experiment the most, and empower their teams to use AI will win. The ones that ignore it? Well, you can guess.

If you’re looking to future-proof your career, the message is loud and clear: AI won’t take your job—but someone who knows how to use AI just might.

🧠 Stay sharp, stay agile, and keep reading the future of work right here at 3-min Reads!

‍#ShopifyAI #FutureOfWork #AIinTech #DigitalTransformation #TobiLutke