On the Tiger's Back...
There's a tiger on the loose. It's out there. It’s fast, hungry, and it's not going back in the cage.
That may sound dramatic, but as recent memos from CEOs like Micha Kaufman of Fiverr and Tobi Lütke of Shopify have made abundantly clear, this is not a drill. Artificial intelligence is not just another tech buzzword or a "someday" disruption. It's right now real, and it's already reshaping how work gets done, how businesses operate, and who ultimately wins in the market.
So, what do we do with this tiger?
There are really only two options. The first is to freeze, do nothing, and hope it doesn’t eat you. The second? Climb on its back, grab hold, and learn to ride.
Because here’s the thing: if you’re on the tiger’s back, it can’t eat you.
What Micha Kaufman from Fiverr Got Right
In his now widely-shared internal message, Micha Kaufman was clear: "AI is coming for your job. Heck, it’s coming for my job too." He didn’t mean this as a threat, but as a wake-up call. AI is not going to replace humans wholesale, but it will replace humans who don’t adapt. What used to be "easy" is already automated. What was once hard is now being simplified by tools like GPT, Claude, and Sora.
This shift is not coming in years—it’s happening now, and the pace is accelerating. If you’re not already thinking about how to integrate AI into your workflows, systems, and strategy, you’re behind.
Shopify’s Manifesto: A Rallying Cry
Tobi Lütke’s recent AI manifesto from Shopify reads less like a memo and more like a battle cry. He urged employees to become "AI-native" in their thinking and approach. That means replacing repetitive tasks with smart workflows, harnessing large language models to make faster, more accurate decisions, and relentlessly automating anything that can be.
In short: climb on the tiger.
What This Means for You
At CM System Designs, we work with companies every day that are staring at this tiger with wide eyes. Some are still asking, "Is this thing dangerous?" Others are halfway up its back and learning to steer.
The reality is, AI is not a trend you can ignore. It will fundamentally change:
- How your team works
- How your customers interact with you
- How fast you can deliver value
- And how much it costs you to stay in business
This is a business challenge, not just a tech one. Companies that embrace this shift will outpace, outmanoeuvre, and outlast their competitors. The ones that don’t? Well… tigers gotta eat.
So, How Do You Ride?
- Audit your workflows. Where are the inefficiencies? What can be automated, digitised, or reimagined with AI?
- Upskill your team. Train them not just to use AI tools, but to think AI-first.
- Get expert help. (Hi, that’s us.) Whether it’s building custom AI integrations or digitising legacy systems, now is the time to invest.
- Act fast but act smart. The companies winning in this space are experimenting constantly, learning rapidly, and adapting as they go.
Final Thought
This is not a doomsday message. It’s an invitation.
The AI tiger is powerful, unpredictable, and yes, a little scary. But it can also take you farther and faster than anything we’ve seen before in business. If you’re willing to climb on, hold tight, and learn as you go, it might just carry you to places you never thought possible.
Just don’t stand still.
The tiger's hungry.