Editor’s Note: This article was originally authored by our colleague and BARC Fellow, Douglas Laney, and was first published on Forbes.com. We are republishing it with full permission, as we believe its insights are highly relevant to the topics we cover and valuable for our community.
CEOs from Shopify and other companies are establishing AI as a core business strategy mandate and communicating this clearly to their organizations. This represents a significant shift from the bottom-up, experimental AI projects of the past to a new era where AI is a top-down strategic imperative.
In a widely circulated internal memo, Shopify’s CEO made it clear that AI is no longer optional. Employees are expected to integrate AI tools into their daily workflows, and the company is positioning itself as an “AI-first” organization. This is more than just a technology directive; it is a fundamental cultural shift.
This trend highlights a crucial lesson for business leaders: successful AI adoption is as much about people and culture as it is about technology. A top-down mandate sends a powerful signal that the organization is serious about transformation. It gives employees the permission and the impetus to experiment, learn, and find new ways to create value with AI.
However, such a mandate must be supported by investment in training, the right tools, and clear communication about the goals and ethical guardrails. Without this support, a mandate can create fear and resistance. The companies that succeed will be those that not only declare an “AI-first” vision but also build the culture and operational structure to make it a reality.
A top-down mandate for AI, as seen at Shopify, is a powerful catalyst for change, but it also introduces new operational risks if not supported by a resilient foundation. For professionals exploring how to balance innovation with stability, our BARC+ subscription offers unrestricted access to our full library of research on strategy and governance. A relevant next step on this topic is our analysis of the lessons learned from major operational crises.
