Today, we’re excited to launch our new publication focused on how companies are using AI in production to drive real results. 

From Memo to Movement: Shopify’s Cultural Adoption of AI

We all know AI will transform every aspect of how we live and work. But the gap between that future state and our current reality still feels like quite the chasm to cross. 

As science fiction writer William Gibson once said, “The future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed.” 

Most companies are navigating the “memos and demos” phase. Ambitious plans and mandates to start using AI are boldly declared in an ever-growing collection of CEO memos (initiated by Shopify co-founder and CEO, Tobi Lütke). Board decks trumpet “AI-first” roadmaps. Flashy features are center stage in the demoware that’s rocketing around social media. 

Yet scalable implementations and real results remain murky. 

That’s why today, we’re launching a brand new publication to close this gap: Applied Intelligence. 

For more than 12 years now, The First Round Review has published tactical playbooks from builders. Our obsession has always been with ground truth over grand theory, on mechanics of company building over market maps. Applied Intelligence extends that mission — to share how builders are using AI at their companies and the impact they’re seeing. 

Our inaugural essay is with Shopify’s VP & Head of Engineering, Farhan Thawar. Think of it as the sequel to Tobi Lütke’s famous memo, where we’ll explore the non-obvious insights, tactics and workflows Shopify used to bring the ambitious memo to life: 

• The surprising tools built by non-technical teammates when Shopify gave everyone access to expensive models
• The LLM proxy, which houses all internal agents and MCPs — allowing employees to build the workflows they need 
• The mentality behind hiring 1,000 interns to foster a “beginner’s mindset” and help teams solve problems faster 
• How they’re “context engineering humans” by identifying the high-impact workflows to inject AI 

You can read the essay here. And if you want to learn more about Applied Intelligence, go here. 

Thanks, as always, for reading and sharing!