Chad’s Blog
Pragmatic Technologies for Life and Business Success®
In a single bold internal memo, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke redrew the future of work: “prove that AI can’t do the job before requesting a new hire.” That’s not just a cost-saving directive—it’s a siren for every leader paying attention.
The message is clear: AI fluency isn’t optional anymore. It’s essential.
What Lütke—and other forward-thinking leaders—understands is this: AI isn’t replacing human expertise. It’s an amplifier of your mind. It multiplies capability. At Shopify, team members who are fluent with AI are accomplishing what would’ve seemed impossible months ago—some achieving productivity 100× beyond baseline. One person is now doing what once required an entire team.
That shift reminded me of a client conversation just last month. She runs a consulting firm and told me, “I used to spend hours prepping deliverables—now, with AI, it’s like I have a turbocharged research assistant who never sleeps.” That mindset is the difference between being overwhelmed by AI and empowered by it.
It also echoes what Peter Drucker once warned: “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself, but to act with yesterday’s logic.” And in 2025, yesterday’s logic is treating AI as a “someday” project instead of today’s strategic imperative.
The numbers back it up: Over 150,000 tech jobs disappeared in 2024, as companies realigned resources around AI. Meanwhile, McKinsey reports AI-integrated businesses are already seeing measurable performance gains—within a single budget cycle.
If you’re advising clients or running a business, this is the crossroads:
- Will you drift while others accelerate?
- Or will you help your clients lead the charge and redefine what’s possible?
Here’s the litmus test: “If autonomous AI agents were already part of your team, how would that reshape this part of your business?” That one question changes everything:
- What opportunities might AI uncover that are currently invisible?
- Which repetitive tasks could be offloaded—freeing your team for real strategic work?
- How might the customer experience evolve through AI-driven personalization?
As trusted advisors and business leaders, our value is no longer just what we know—it’s how well we leverage AI to deliver faster, smarter, and better. That’s how we differentiate. That’s how we and our clients win.
AI isn’t the threat—it’s our most powerful ally. The real threat is ignoring the shift.
Our clients’ future depends on it—and so does ours!
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