How Shopify Uses ChatGPT Work to Build Faster with AI Agents

### TL;DR Shopify reduces dependency on engineering teams through ChatGPT and AI agents, enabling non-developers to quickly build tools and automating workflows that previously required large teams. --- ## Reducing Dependencies, Accelerating Development “It lets me move faster with fewer dependencies, and then do things I couldn’t do before.” This is the real experience of an operations lead at Shopify focused on driving effective AI use in non-engineering areas. He mentioned that in the past, if he wanted to build a tool for his team, he had to go to the engineering team to compete for resources—a long and uncertain process. Now, with ChatGPT and agent skills, that dependency is completely broken. ### From Relying on Engineers to Self-Service Tool Building “They no longer have to go to the engineering team to fight for resources to build the tools they need.” For non-developers, the biggest shift is learning how to work collaboratively with agents. ChatGPT is no longer just a Q&A bot, but a “digital employee” that can take on delegation and execute discrete tasks. This lead considers ChatGPT his primary tool, believing it excels at delegation: “I think for most people, the biggest shift is learning how to work with agents. And the key to that change is adapting to delegation.” ### Agents Have Changed the Way We Work The introduction of agents means that processes that once required large teams can now be completed by a single agent capable of executing discrete tasks. This fundamentally changes how Shopify works internally—engineering resources are freed up, and non-engineering teams gain unprecedented autonomy. --- ## Case Study: Redesigning a Triage Workflow A specific example is the redesign of a triage workflow. This lead used Codex or ChatGPT’s agent skills to redesign a triage workflow. “This was previously impossible—a process that once required a large team now only needs an agent that can execute discrete tasks.” Triage workflows typically involve multiple steps of decision-making, information gathering, and assignment. In the past, they required the engineering team to build a dedicated backend system. Now, a single agent can chain these steps together, automatically making triage decisions, significantly reducing response times. --- ## Summary In promoting AI tools in non-engineering areas, Shopify has seen fundamental changes brought by agents: reduced dependencies, increased speed, and enabling individuals or small teams to accomplish tasks that were previously impossible. The key is learning to delegate, and ChatGPT is the core tool for this new collaboration model. --- **Source:** How Shopify Uses ChatGPT Work to Build Faster with AI Agents - OpenAI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHVu3Y4B3RI)