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Sometimes, monumental changes don't need a stage or spotlight—they quietly unfold in the most unexpected places. This week, I bring you a story that began within the walls of Shopify but echoes a resonant truth that all of us—founders, solopreneurs, innovators—need to come to grips with: AI is no longer optional.

The Quiet Revolution Happening Inside Shopify – And What It Means for Us

It wasn’t a press release. It wasn’t a keynote.

It was an internal memo – written plainly, sent quietly, and meant for Shopify employees only.

But what CEO Tobi Lütke shared last week has already echoed far beyond the company’s walls and finally was made public by himself.

It made waves, because it didn’t just mark a policy shift. It captured a deeper truth that thousands of leaders might have been wrestling with and which Tobi now made very clear:

AI is no longer optional.

In the memo titled “Reflexive AI Usage is Now a Baseline Expectation at Shopify”, CEO Tobi Lütke laid out new rules:

1. Using AI effectively is now essential for all Shopify employees

2. AI Exploration is a major factor in Shopify’s project prototype phase

3. Performance reviews will include AI usage assessment

4. Self-directed AI learning is encouraged combined with knowledge sharing

5. Teams must prove AI cannot solve problems before requesting resources

6. AI policy applies to all staff including the leadership team

It's not a suggestion. It’s a performance requirement.

The message is: Shopify isn’t just embracing AI; it’s rebuilding its culture around it.

What “Reflexive AI Usage” Actually Means

Lütke describes reflexive AI use as a shift in instinct.

You don’t stop to think, “Should I use AI here?”
You simply reach for it—whether you’re planning, writing, debugging, brainstorming, or exploring new product ideas.

It’s no longer a shiny new thing. It’s your default assistant, your sparring partner, your 10x tool.

AI is not just a productivity booster—it’s a creative and strategic multiplier. This isn't just a Shopify thing; it's an invitation for each of us to reassess and realign how we harness AI in our own ventures.

I personally have a post-it on my desk (a nudge inspired by Timo from Decaid) to remind myself of AI’s potential to exponentially enhance my workflow.

Perhaps it's time for a new mantra: “How can AI make this task 10x faster and better?”

From Tinkering to Transformation

In the past, Shopify encouraged employees to “tinker” with AI. The CEO himself openly communicated how he used AI for his work or for his presentations. 

Now, with this statement tinkering phase is over. Experimentation isn’t enough anymore.

Why This Memo Matters Beyond Shopify

This isn’t just a Shopify story. It’s a signal for everyone.

Every founder, manager, and team leader should be asking:

Are we reflexively using AI?

Hiring, performance reviews, product cycles—everything is being reframed. The best teams won’t wait for memos. They’ll integrate this mindset into onboarding, planning, and execution.

Not because it’s trendy. It's a reminder that, whether you're a tech company employee or an independent solopreneur, embracing AI is not just valuable—it's essential.

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News & Reads on AI Agents & Co.

or “What those notorious AI Agents have been up to lately”

Google has launched Deep Research on Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental. This new feature leverages Gemini’s powerful model capabilities, allowing users to perform in-depth research tasks directly within the platform. Deep Research is designed to provide more accurate and detailed insights, making it easier to extract valuable information from large volumes of data. Google

Meta Releases Llama 4 Models: Meta Platforms has introduced Llama 4 Scout and Llama 4 Maverick, advanced multimodal AI systems capable of processing text, video, images, and audio. Llama 4 Behemoth, which Meta calles "one of the smartest LLMs in the world and our most powerful yet to serve as a teacher for our new models." is delayed until end of April. Reuters (But also the current big announcement does not hold up to the promises according to users testing everything)

Microsoft Upgrades Copilot with Proactive Features: In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Microsoft announced significant updates to its Copilot AI assistant. New features include memory capabilities for personalized interactions, autonomous task completion through "Actions," and enhanced integration with Windows and mobile platforms TechRadar

Google Cloud CEO Highlights Agentic AI Strategy: Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, discussed the company's focus on agentic AI, emphasizing the development of AI agents that can reason, plan, and automate tasks, positioning Google Cloud competitively against rivals like Microsoft. CRN

AI Agents for charity: A nonprofit organization, backed by Open Philanthropy, conducted a week-long experiment using AI agents to raise funds. Four AI models were given autonomy to select a charity and decide their fundraising strategies. They successfully raised over $250 for Helen Keller International. Despite their achievements, the AI agents required occasional human intervention, highlighting their current limitations. As these agents continue to improve, the nonprofit plans to explore more complex challenges and scenarios, demonstrating the potential of AI-driven philanthropic efforts TechCrunch

Cloudflare is integrating Model Context Protocol (MCP) into its Agents SDK to allow AI agents to connect to external services. It supports features like authentication, authorization, and automatic updates. By enabling multiple connections and streamlined authentication, developers can create more powerful, secure, and adaptable AI agents that interact seamlessly with external tools and data sources Cloudflare

Keep pushing boundaries and stay curious!

Fabian