I’ve seen a lot of companies grappling with how to lead AI adoption. Shopify’s recent CEO internal memo made it clear that AI use is no longer optional. It’s now “a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify.”

Clear expectations are a strong start. But in practice, it’s better to be effective than right. The real challenge isn’t declaring AI a priority. It’s designing the conditions that make it real in the work.

Here’s what I believe the CEO got right:

• AI skills should be part of every role

• AI isn’t just for optimization; it should shape how we prototype, plan, and build

• Expectations should grow as AI becomes part of everyday work

• People should share what they’re learning so the whole team levels up faster

• Teams should ask if AI can do the job before adding headcount

That kind of clarity matters. But direction alone doesn’t get results. It has to be backed by support, systems, and space to grow.

It also takes empathy. Helping people succeed with AI in their current roles is important but so is helping them build skills they can carry forward.

Companies that invest in upskilling aren’t just raising performance. They’re setting people up to succeed in whatever comes next.

When I helped transform a lean marketing team into a 45-member human-AI powerhouse, it started as an all-human team. By January, they were working alongside 20 AI teammates. Today, they’ve scaled to 35+ AI collaborators integrated into real workflows.

What made it work wasn’t pressure. It was the environment we built:

• Time, space, and support to experiment—not just perform

• Clear use cases by role and responsible AI guidelines, so people knew where to start

• Dedicated learning time and safe spaces to try without fear

• Systems like custom GPTs, workflow templates, cross-functional AI councils, and impact tracking to scale what works

• A mindset shift: using AI not just as tools but as teammates we collaborate with.

We achieved up to 75% faster content creation, 35% better campaign performance, 98% lead qualification accuracy, and 100% AI adoption in six months.

To be clear, we don’t have full visibility into Shopify’s broader rollout. This isn’t a critique. It’s a lens. I’m sharing what I’ve seen work when companies move fast and bring their people with them.

If we want teams to evolve, we have to help them see themselves in it.

What do you think about Shopify’s approach?

For more details on building human-AI teams, check out the case study and playbook here: https://lnkd.in/gKVHapFX

#FutureOfWork #AITeammates #AICollaboration #AILiteracy #AIAdoption

What if one of your most helpful teammates wasn’t human but helped you lead your team even better?

AI is changing how we work. The real shift is how we build teams, made up of both human and AI teammates. When done right, they help us move faster, think smarter, and support each other in new ways.

This Fri, April 11, I’m joining Christine / Chris Heckart and the team at Xapa for a live session on AI teammates, especially the most human-centered one you can build: your digital twin.

I’ll show you how to create one for yourself plus other AI teammates that support your thinking, creativity, and clarity under pressure.

See details in the image and share with others. Register using the link in the comments (https://lnkd.in/gDwaKKp9).

#AITeammates #DigitalTwins #AIAgents #AIAdoption #GenerousLeadership

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkceuurzwqHtclkgO0hqxkckWpeN0gd3Qh#/registration

At last night’s A Chance In Life gala in San Francisco, we honored and celebrated one of the most generous people I know, Christine / Chris Heckart. And she was honored alongside Barry Bonds (Yes, the Homerun King.)

That statement carries a lot of weight. I have known Christine from our first jobs out of college several decades ago, worked with her across at least four companies, and traveled the world with her, close friends and family. She is truly a lifelong friend.

A Chance in Life is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering marginalized and at-risk youth worldwide through education, healthcare, comprehensive support services, and leadership development training. (See link in comments for more info on A Chance in Life.)

Christine has always had compassion for children and those early in career, from the kids giving trees at Christmas to putting kids (not just her own) through college and helping them find work.

She is living her values masterfully as she gives unselfishly without expectation of any return, for as long as I can remember. She inspires many and others amplify her impact may times over.

To Christine’s family, dear friends, and the awe-inspiring Empowered CMO community, I’m truly grateful to be part of a group of amazing humans who love Christine dearly and propel her work.

Kate Bullis, you are one heck of a matchmaker and enabler. Thank you for bringing us all together.

I’m a walking “Chance In Life.” Christine, I will continue to work hard to pay it forward and amplify your work. Thank you will never be enough.

Vasu Jakkal, Min Wang, Maria Pergolino, Judy Ash, Tricia Gellman, Elizabeth Arnsdorf Patterson, Betty Gower, Casey Clark, Denise Persson, Carilu Dietrich, Amanda Kahlow, Uday Keshavdas Jennifer Pockell Dimas, Micheline Nijmeh, Theresa Velasco, Bhawna Singh, Patti Divella, Paula Reinman, Tori Heckart, EIT, PMP, Katie Heckart, Tyler Heckart, and more.

#xapa #GenerousLeadership #Kindnesss, #Compassion

A Chance in Life: https://achanceinlife.org/

What if your next strategic teammate wasn’t human but knew your frameworks, wrote like you, and worked any time?

That’s what a digital twin is. And it’s easier to build than most people think.

Digital twins are AI simulators that mirror your thinking patterns, frameworks, and communication style. They help you manage routine tasks and free up your time for strategic decisions and high-impact work.

I’ve been working with mine, LizaGPT, for over a year. Strategic and practical but also bold, salty, spicy, and focused. Just like the real me. 😉

Harvard research (shared by Ethan Mollick) found that individuals using AI can match or outperform entire teams. Digital twins make this insight real and actionable for GTM leaders today.

In this week’s newsletter, I share:

• Step-by-step instructions to build your own digital twin using ChatGPT

• Real-world examples, including how LizaGPT has improved my strategic output

• An interactive model that shows how different types of simulators can support GTM teams

You can read the full issue below.

Prefer to listen instead? There’s also an 18-minute podcast version co-hosted by two AI voices. Great for walking the dog, driving, or folding laundry. The link is in the comments.

This is part of my biweekly Practical AI in GTM newsletter, where I share real-world applications and strategic insights for forward-thinking teams. You can subscribe at the top of the page if you’d like these in your inbox every other week.

A huge thank you to Carol-Lyn Jardine (Dice/DHI Group Inc) and Audrey Chia (Close With Copy) for sharing your insights and experiences.

#DigitalTwin #AITeammates #FutureOfWork #GTM #AIAgents

Here’s the 18-min AI podcast version of this newsletter. Listen to it during lunch, while driving, or when walking the dog 😉 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZSzjpNf0ifLe9vs1G0b4ATbO9UhDDtNc/view?usp=sharing

Once you hit play, give it just a few seconds then it will start.

Disclaimer: This podcast was generated by AI based on this written newsletter and reviewed by me to ensure ethical and responsible AI use. It’s designed to provide an efficient, more inclusive way to consume information.

Meet LizaGPT, my digital twin with Filipino fire—bold, salty, and spicy like a bowl of Chex mix. (Yes, that’s part of its instructions :-))

After a year working together, LizaGPT helps me think faster, adapt better, and support more GTM clients. It meets each one where they are, whether just starting with AI or already building AI-powered teams.

I asked LizaGPT to pull the core ideas from my thinking on the future of work and the evolution of GTM roles. It surfaced the key insights shown in Image 2.

It goes further. I was preparing an applied AI workshop for a marketing team with mixed AI maturity. Some were experimenting. Others were skeptical. I needed to adjust how I framed the session.

I asked LizaGPT to analyze how my messages would land with teams at different stages. It created the table in Image 3. It shows how to tailor the approach based on where each team is.

This is more than saving time. LizaGPT applies my frameworks and thinking patterns to new situations. It’s a strategic partner that adapts to context, not just content.

I show exactly how I built LizaGPT and how you can create your own digital twin using ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini here: https://lnkd.in/gb5zdhpj

Subscribe to my newsletter Practical AI in GTM here so that it comes to your inbox every two week: https://lnkd.in/eg48-RXp

#DigitalTwin #AIAdoption #GTMStrategy #ChangeManagement #AIWorkflows