Integrail’s 7 Principles for Becoming an AI-First Company

The concept of an “AI-First” company quickly went from buzzword to real thing in a matter of months. And it's not just tiny startups – just recently some global brands have jumped on board in no uncertain terms. 

“Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify. It’s a tool of all trades today, and will only grow in importance. Frankly, I don’t think it’s feasible to opt out of the skill of applying AI in your craft; you are welcome to try, but I want to be honest I cannot see this working out today, and definitely not tomorrow. Stagnation is almost certain, and stagnation is slow-motion failure. If you’re not climbing, you’re sliding.” 

-- Toby Lutke, CEO of Shopify, in memo to employees posted on X April 7, 2025 

Since that memo other executives have also come out publicly to state that they're betting big on their companies becoming AI-First companies. 

If you’re not part of an AI-First company or on that path, as an easy onramp I suggest watching this video on integrating AI workflows into your work. 

AI-First Is Part of Our DNA 

As an AI-First company with a mission to help our customers join us in this rapidly growing cohort through the building and employing of AI workers that can autonomously take on complex tasks and workflows, we are doing our part to forge this path. That’s why we distilled the essence of being AI-First down to seven core principles – grounded in research and our experience building Integrail – to guide your organization's transformation: 

1. Strategy First, AI Second: Don't do AI for AI's sake. Align every AI initiative clearly with core business goals and real customer needs. Focus on solving high-impact problems. 
2. Automate the Routine, Elevate the Human: Use AI to crush drudgery, eliminate bottlenecks, and boost speed across the business. Free up your people for more strategic, creative, and customer-focused work. 
3. Data is Your Fuel: Treat your data like the critical business fuel it is. Invest in making it high-quality, accessible, integrated, and governed – the higher octane your data is, the more effective your AI efforts will be and the faster you will see results. 
4. Experiment Boldly, Learn Quickly: Create a culture where trying new AI ideas (even small ones!) is safe and encouraged. Share successes and failures openly to accelerate learning across the company. 
5. Upskill Everyone, Everywhere: AI isn't just for tech teams. Invest in training and empowering your entire workforce to understand, use, and collaborate with AI tools confidently. 
6. Build Smart, Scale Fast: Choose flexible, integrated AI platforms and infrastructure that can grow with your ambition. Plan for moving successful pilots into widespread, value-driving production. 
7. Lead with Trust and Responsibility: Embed strong ethics, security, fairness, and robust governance into your AI strategy from Day One. Ensure human oversight where it matters most to build and maintain trust. 

Final Thoughts: Think Possibilities, Not Limits 

We encourage you and your colleagues to think possibilities, not limits. As AI’s capabilities grow, the number of models, tools and agents that can be combined to produce outputs previously not possible becomes...possible. Let your team’s imagination be gasoline, not just kindling. 

Becoming “AI-First” is applicable to both established companies – no matter the size – and startups. There are different paths to get there, but the benefits are the same: increased efficiency across the organization; higher revenue/headcount; faster time-to-value with corporate initiatives; cost reductions; competitive advantage; and improved customer experience. 

AI-First is part of Integrail’s DNA, and we will have more to share as our journey unfolds. 

Let Integrail Be Your AI-First Guide 

Interested in learning more about how your company can make the transition to “AI-First”? Contact us and we’ll walk you through it.