MC.69: AI or DIE, Shopify founder is right

This week, Tobi Lütke, CEO of Shopify, released a memo that perfectly crystallized what many of us at Alter have been observing: AI is no longer optional—it's fundamental.

Just as the term "digital" eventually became redundant in organizations because everything became digital, "AI" is following the same trajectory. Soon, it won't be a separate capability but an integrated component of every process and tool, whether we explicitly recognize it or not.

The parallels with Shopify's origin story are striking. Founded in 2006, it took off in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.

Shopify emerged when waves of layoffs pushed people to create their own opportunities. Today, we're witnessing a similar economic disruption that will drive mass AI upskilling:

1. Macroeconomic pressures (including potential Trump tariffs) are creating job market uncertainty

2. Displaced workers are rapidly developing AI skills to remain competitive

3. Many will discover they can leverage these new capabilities to create their own businesses rather than seeking employment

This represents the most significant opportunity for entrepreneurial growth since the e-commerce boom—and the stakes couldn't be higher for existing organizations.

The Corporate AI Divide

What's particularly concerning is the growing divide between organizations embracing AI and those resisting it. Many large enterprises are implementing restrictive AI policies that not only create organizational disadvantages but actively harm their employees' future career prospects by preventing them from developing essential skills.

Meanwhile, a new generation of "AI-first" companies is emerging with unprecedented velocity and scale. These nimble operations can achieve with 5-10 people what previously required 50-100, creating tremendous competitive pressure across all industries.

Rethinking Work in the AI Era

The most profound insight from Tobi's memo wasn't about headcount reduction—it was about fundamentally rethinking how work gets done.

When considering new roles or projects, the question becomes: "What can AI already handle, and what uniquely requires human expertise?"

This requires mapping your functional scope, identifying which 60-70% of tasks AI can perform effectively, and then focusing human talent on the remaining 30% where AI falls short. It's not about eliminating jobs but redefining them around distinctly human capabilities.

Organizations that fail to embrace this "big reboot" face existential risk within 3-5 years. The competitive advantage will go to those who can:

1. Experiment relentlessly with AI capabilities (the only way to discover what works is to try, try, try)

2. Distinguish between tasks requiring active human engagement versus those that can be delegated to AI during your "coffee break"

3. Upskill their entire workforce from entry-level to board level

As Tobi aptly puts it, "If you're not climbing, you're sliding." In this red queen race, standing still means falling behind.

At Alter, we're seeing this transformation firsthand. The AI landscape changes so rapidly that yesterday's truth is not tomorrow's. Benchmarks have become marketing tools disconnected from real-world applications, while practical capabilities across models (from Claude to Gemini to Deepseek) have reached remarkable parity.

The question isn't whether to embrace AI, but how quickly you can integrate it into your organization's DNA.

Cheers, Olivier

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