Reflexive AI Use: Are We All Expected to Be Prompters Now?

Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke just did what many leaders have tiptoed around—he said the quiet part out loud.

In a bold internal memo (which, thanks to the internet, is now very public), he told the entire Shopify team that AI usage is no longer optional. It’s an expectation. A job requirement. A cultural shift.

At first glance, this might sound extreme. But here’s the reality: it’s not unique. It’s a signal. And if you’re running a business, leading a team, or just trying to keep your skills sharp—it’s one worth paying attention to.

Let’s unpack it.

What Is “Reflexive AI Use” Anyway?

It’s not just using AI when someone tells you to. It’s using AI because you instinctively reach for it when you’re solving a problem. Like how you might open Google Docs when you’re writing or Slack when you need to ping a colleague.

At Shopify, reflexive AI use means employees are expected to treat AI like a default co-pilot—whether you’re in product dev, marketing, customer success, or engineering. It’s not about using AI perfectly; it’s about using it regularly and intentionally.

And honestly? It makes sense.

Why This Matters Beyond Shopify

Lütke isn’t just hyped on ChatGPT. He’s responding to a very real shift:

• AI tools are now accessible to everyone.
• The learning curve isn’t steep—but it does take practice.
• The productivity gap between users and non-users is widening. Fast.

He talks about AI as a “multiplier.” And he’s right. The people who are using AI effectively aren’t just getting work done faster—they’re doing work they wouldn’t have thought possible a year ago.

This memo sets a new tone: AI isn’t a shiny new tool. It’s table stakes.

What Leaders Can Learn from This

You don’t have to issue a company-wide memo tomorrow—but if you’re not thinking about how AI is (or isn’t) embedded in your workflows, you’re already behind.

Here are three questions every leader should be asking right now:

• Are we empowering our teams to tinker with AI or waiting for formal training?
• Are we measuring performance in a way that rewards innovation with AI?
• Do we have AI baked into our experimentation phase, not just implementation?

It’s not just about keeping up—it’s about rethinking what “effective work” looks like.

The Bottom Line

AI fluency is the new digital literacy. Reflexive AI use will soon be as common as checking email—or at least, it should be.

You don’t have to know everything. But you do have to start. Because stagnation, as Lütke puts it, is “slow-motion failure.”