Shopify Makes AI Adoption Mandatory Across Teams

Pivot 5: 5 stories. 5 minutes a day. 5 days a week.

1. Shopify Makes AI Adoption Mandatory Across Teams

• Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke declared that AI is now a required part of all internal workflows, signaling a fundamental shift in company operations. This mandate reflects a cultural pivot toward AI-native thinking at every level of the business.

• The move positions Shopify as a leader in AI-enabled operations and sets a new bar for digital transformation across the e-commerce industry. Standardizing AI use company-wide ensures operational speed, innovation, and talent retention.

• CEOs should treat AI like electricity—non-optional infrastructure powering every function—embedding it as a default mindset, not a niche tool.

Read the full story here

2. Rescale Raises $115M to Reinvent R&D with AI Simulations

• Rescale, a San Francisco startup, secured $115 million from investors like Nvidia and Microsoft to expand its AI-powered cloud simulation platform. The company enables faster, cheaper industrial R&D by replacing physical tests with intelligent simulations.

• This marks a shift in how products will be designed—from cars to satellites—using AI as the first environment for innovation. Rescale’s platform shortens development timelines, cuts costs, and minimizes physical prototyping.

• Business leaders should adopt simulation-first R&D to compress product cycles and leapfrog slower-moving competitors still tied to traditional methods.

Read the full story here

3. Spotify’s AI Ad Engine Promises Sharper Targeting and Scale

• At its Spotify Advance event, the company introduced its new Ad Exchange and an upgraded self-serve Ads Manager, both powered by AI. These tools give advertisers smarter targeting, real-time optimization, and deeper audience insights.

• Spotify is betting big on AI to redefine digital audio advertising—making it more measurable, personalized, and programmatic. This mirrors the broader shift toward AI-automated media buying across platforms.

• Executives should modernize their ad strategies by adopting AI-first platforms that deliver scale, efficiency, and audience precision at lower cost.

Read the full story here

4. Pew Study Reveals Deep Disconnect Between AI Experts and the Public

• A new Pew Research Center survey comparing 5,410 U.S. adults and 1,013 AI experts found stark differences in perceptions of AI’s societal impact. Only 20% of the public with an opinion believe AI will have a net positive effect, compared to a strong majority of experts.

• The divide extends to jobs, with just 23% of the public expecting AI to improve work versus 73% of experts, and even experts remain cautious about employment impacts. Both groups agree AI will negatively affect news and elections.

• CEOs must lead with clarity—bridging public skepticism while seizing AI’s upside—because reputational risks now sit alongside competitive opportunity in every AI decision.

Read the full story here

5. AI Model Outperforms Doctors in Predicting Antibiotic Resistance

• Researchers at Tulane University developed an AI tool that more accurately detects antibiotic resistance in bacteria like TB and staph, outperforming current diagnostic methods. The model uses genome analysis to identify resistance faster than traditional lab tests.

• This innovation offers faster treatment decisions, lower healthcare costs, and improved outcomes for drug-resistant infections. It highlights the growing role of AI in precision medicine and diagnostics.

• Healthcare CEOs should prioritize AI in diagnostics to reduce misdiagnoses, lower treatment costs, and stay ahead of regulatory and patient expectations.

Read the full story here