How They Hire: Tobi Lütke, Founder and CEO of Shopify
Every week, we highlight a top founder's hiring playbook.
An internal memo from Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke has recently circulated on LinkedIn, making two key points clear: every employee is expected to use AI in their daily work, and no one should hire a human without first demonstrating that AI can’t perform the job. Some view it as exciting, while others see it as a cause for concern. But what is he actually asking for?
Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify. (…)Before asking for more headcount and resources, 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?
Tobi Lütke, Founder and CEO of Shopify
Lütke wants Shopify’s software to be the best and to power the strongest businesses of the future. That means keeping the entire company on the cutting edge and using every top-tier tool available. To do that, the company needs to stay ahead. Always.
His organization should be fluent in AI, and everyone should treat it as a thought partner, researcher, critic, tutor, or pair programmer. The mindset he’s encouraging is simple: constantly ask yourself, can AI do this better? And challenge what’s assumed to be out of reach.
Only if AI falls short should a human hire be considered. Roles that AI can now handle faster or at a lower cost shouldn’t be staffed manually.
In short, he’s pushing a “hire AI before people” strategy. Use AI to scale human output and unlock growth. If your team is more productive, and growth follows, you’ll end up hiring more people and outpacing the competition. AI isn’t something to experiment with anymore but a core part of how your company scales.