Unprompted insights on how AI is changing what we build and how we work — from two nontechnical minds in tech, sharing unfiltered takes and real-time aha! moments.
We're living in an era of economic uncertainty. With tariffs on the table, global supply chains under pressure, and economic strategies shifting on a geopolitical level, companies are being forced to rethink everything—from their cost of goods to daily operations.
While some companies are sitting on their hands and waiting to react, the smart ones are already adapting by reimagining their entire operational stack with AI.
AI Isn’t Just a Tool—It’s a Requirement
In a leaked internal memo, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke made it clear: AI integration is now mandatory across the company. Every team is expected to implement AI in their workflows, no exceptions.
This isn’t about following a trend. It’s about survival. As business costs rise and forecasting becomes less reliable, leaders are asking:
“Where can we find new efficiencies without sacrificing output?”
Where AI Delivers Real Efficiency for Companies
If you can't predict your cost of goods six months from now, you better be sharp everywhere else. AI gives you compounding leverage—on speed, decision-making, and cost reduction—without waiting for the economy to stabilize.
AI can help you:
Automate repetitive workflows in operations, customer service, and administration
Forecast demand and pricing scenarios under different tariff conditions
Accelerate marketing and content through AI-trained tools to make content more cost-effective
Streamline product development with AI-driven prototyping and UX generation
Your competitors are using AI to cut their decision cycles in half while keeping headcount flat. Can you afford not to?
The Game is Changing Globally, and So Should You
Whether you’re a business owner or an employee, here’s what you should do, like, as soon as yesterday:
Audit your workflows: Where are you or your team doing tasks AI could handle?
Pick one process and automate it: Think internal reporting, client communications, or research.
Make AI integration a standing agenda item—not a side project.
This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about protecting yourself from a future that’s already arrived—and elevating your role to meet it.
AI is how you build optionality. And in the age of economic uncertainty, optionality is your strongest form of leverage.
Want help spotting one area where AI can immediately boost your value? Email us at [email protected]—we’ll send you one AI hack, on the house.
P.S. This newsletter is part one of a two-part series. Stay tuned for the next edition, where we’ll explore how employees can leverage AI to create new opportunities amidst economic uncertainty.
