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 the case study and playbook here.
#FutureOfWork #AITeammates #AICollaboration #AILiteracy #AIAdoption
