Leadership in the Age of AI
Create Your Action Figure with AI
Leadership in AI
Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke has recently emphasized the critical role of artificial intelligence (AI) in business operations, providing several leadership insights on AI adoption. Here is his internal memo to his team on X about AI expectations. https://x.com/tobi/status/1909231499448401946
As leaders, this is what we can do to help our teams:
Establish AI as a Core Competency: Lütke has made it clear that the effective use of AI is now a fundamental expectation for all employees at Shopify. This approach underscores the importance of integrating AI into daily workflows across all levels of an organization.
Evaluate AI Solutions Before Expanding Teams: Before approving new hires or allocating additional resources, Lütke requires teams to demonstrate why AI cannot fulfill the required tasks. This strategy encourages leaders to prioritize AI-driven efficiency and innovation.
Incorporate AI Proficiency into Performance Metrics: Shopify has integrated AI usage into its performance and peer review processes, ensuring that employees are assessed on their ability to leverage AI tools effectively. This aligns individual performance with the company's AI adoption goals.
Lead by Example: Lütke applies these AI expectations to himself and the executive team, demonstrating a top-down commitment to AI integration. This leadership approach fosters a culture where AI adoption is a shared priority.
Need more guidance on AI Adoption: https://kendratech.substack.com/p/ai-adoption
CoPilot Updates
CoPilot made several updates last Friday beyond what we shared last week with Research and Analyst. Some of the updates are vision, podcast (like Notebook LM), pages, search, and more. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/04/04/your-ai-companion/
ChatGPT Free for Students
Two free months of ChatGPT for college students (must have a .edu email to sign up) https://chatgpt.com/students
Make an Action Figure of Yourself
These seem to be everywhere, so I had to join the fun.
Reminder: anytime you see something using AI and you want to try it. Reverse engineer the prompt. Upload the image and ask it to write the prompt used to create the image. Voila!
Here is the prompt to use with fill in the blanks to customize yours to your likeness:
Create a realistic, modern action figure of me (insert your name) labeled [your title or profession], sealed in its original packaging. The action figure should look like a toy with realistic facial features resembling me: [describe your hair, skin tone, typical outfit, and any distinguishing features].
Dress the figure in [outfit description—e.g., black blazer and jeans, branded tee, etc.], and include 3 accessories that match my daily work: [e.g., laptop, camera, coffee mug].
The packaging design should be bold and colorful, with fun and clear text. Include:
Name: [Your Name]
Title: [Your Title]
Personality tagline: [e.g., Brings the Strategy, Creative Spark Plug, etc.]
Skills: [e.g., Bold Ideas, Community Builder, AI Whisperer, etc.]
Age rating: [18+]
The final image should look like a clean, well-lit product photo of a sealed toy with figure and accessories visible inside the plastic casing.
Add a photo of yourself to make it look more like you.
Send me yours!
2025 AI Adventures
New events are added weekly. Since our community spans over 31 states, we’re making it easier than ever for you to join the conversation from anywhere. These new virtual sessions are designed to be interactive and packed with real-world insights you can apply immediately.
April
April 16 11:30-12:30 EST. AI Simplified for Business Success hosted by Payroll Partners webinar for the SOCA community and all businesses. All are welcome. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-simplified-for-business-success-tickets-1248471454729
April 17 9-12 EST. AI for Enterprise- AI leaders from TQL, 84.51 and TCS. You won’t want to miss them. The event is being held at the TQL Stadium. Only a few spots left. https://portal.cincinnatichamber.com/s/community-event?id=a1mJx000005IAfZIAW
NEW April 18 9-12 EST. Introduction to AI in partnership with Max Technical Training. This is a virtual live class led by Kendra Ramirez. This class is eligible for Tech Cred which is reimbursed by the State of Ohio. https://maxtrain.com/artificial-intelligence/general-artificial-intelligence-and-business-applications/introduction-to-ai/
April 21 12-1 EST free webinar on Privacy and Safety by John Cavanagh of Plunk Foundation and hosted by Nexus Cincy (volunteer group innovating for nonprofits) https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/dq96hcm
May
May 8 SMPS hosting a 2-hour workshop, dive into the world of AI-driven sales and marketing strategies with hands-on experience tailored to real-world scenarios. 2:30-4:30 at Bricker Graydon. https://greatercincinnatismps.org/meetinginfo.php?id=372&ts=1741785372
May 16 Power to Pursue 9-5 pm at Music Hall Every woman deserves to be seen, heard, and loved. That is the foundational belief of the Power to Pursue Summit, an annual event where women gather to eliminate barriers and embrace the power of their authentic selves. I am leading a session at 9:50-10:45 on Empowering Women with AI, and with 8 other AI Coaches to assist all the women with some AI practice. https://www.cincinnatiarts.org/events/detail/power-to-pursue-25
June
June 10-12 Cincy AI Week https://www.cincyaiweek.com/
Over 1000 attendees last year and 150 speakers. Use discount code CincyAI50.
I love answering your AI questions. Feel free to message me.
Where AI and inspiration collide!
Kendra Ramirez
KendraRamirez.com
Several of you have asked about booking AI consulting or coaching time with me. I have opened up 1 slot in April and 1 in May. These will not be available in June. Limited 1 on 1 virtual sessions can be booked here for $250 for up to 30 minutes: https://go.oncehub.com/kendraramirez. Come to your session with 1 or 2 things you are trying to solve by using AI.
We provide AI Speaking and Training, AI Readiness Assessments, AI Strategy, AI roadmap and implementation, and AI Coaching for small to mid-size businesses and nonprofits.
**For those new to my work, I have been in tech my whole career. Over 15 years of running my digital agency (website, social media, and lead generation) and 7 years of helping businesses navigate AI. Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of leading over 100 training and speaking sessions, empowering businesses to embrace the transformative potential of AI. My passion lies in simplifying complex technologies to help organizations grow, innovate, and thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
I am so excited that you are on this journey with me! Thank you! 🤗
I have been writing weekly about AI here for over two years. You can search all of my enewsletters here if you are looking to brush up on a certain topic. kendratech.substack.com