AI First, Humans Always: Insights from Shopify’s AI Transformation

When Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke told employees that “everyone means everyone” in the company’s AI rollout, he wasn’t being provocative for the sake of it. He was setting a new standard for how technology adoption should work–bold, all-in, and deeply human. In a company-wide memo, Lütke laid out a mandate that repositions AI from a department-specific, standalone tool to shared infrastructure. Every team, from product to HR, is expected to adapt. It’s a move that mirrors a broader shift taking hold across high-performing organizations: AI strategies that succeed are ones built around people.