Tim ZylaMIAMI — Artificial intelligence is changing how companies operate faster than any technology in recent memory, but speakers at this year’s Nexus Miami agreed that the real disruption is not about machines but about people.
“AI is not coming for our jobs — it’s coming for some of our tasks,” said Andrea Iorio, a former CIO and head of Tinder in Latin America, who moderated the panel on AI and Leadership. “The challenge isn’t just technical. It’s about what we do with the time we earn back.”
Joining Iorio were Dave Caldwell, vice president of tech strategy and shared services at PetSmart, and Eduardo Frias, field CTO at Shopify. Together, the trio provided a revealing perspective on how both a big-box retailer and a digital-native tech firm are learning to navigate and lead with AI.
From Photo Shoots to Pricing Systems
For PetSmart, Caldwell emphasized that the company’s approach is centered on practicality.
“We’re a retailer with 1,700 stores based in Phoenix. Every dollar and every decision matters,” he said. “We take a very practical, value-based view of where AI can be most effectively applied.”
Among their early projects is something surprisingly straightforward and involved using Google’s Vertex tools to create product photos. “Think about the challenges of doing photo shoots with pets and getting them to hold an item in their mouth,” Caldwell explained. “The ability to achieve this easily with AI is amazing.”
Behind the scenes, the company is also leveraging AI to optimize supply chains, pricing, and customer service operations — the critical but often unseen components of a retail giant.
Shopify’s ‘AI Reflex’
Frias said AI is not treated as a side project at Shopify, it’s part of the company’s core philosophy.
“Our CTO sent a company-wide email stating that AI is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s now a baseline expectation,” Frias said. “We will first seek answers through AI, and only if we can’t find them there will we explore alternative solutions.”
This directive has sparked a wave of creativity among the company’s 4,500 engineers. “During a recent hackathon in Toronto, over 500 projects included ‘AI’ in their titles,” Frias noted. “We built more than 50 Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), and the rule was simple: show what you’ve built and share what you’ve learned.”
He added that Shopify requires hiring managers to justify why a position should be filled by a human instead of being automated, indicating the company’s expectation that automation will significantly influence its future workforce.
Leadership in an Accelerated Era
Iorio mentioned that this moment marks a new phase in defining leadership itself. “For thousands of years, leadership was about physical strength,” he said. “The Industrial Revolution brought machines, which introduced us to the cognitive era — where the smartest person led. Now, we’re competing with AI that is smarter and faster than any of us.”
Caldwell noted that leaders face a simple choice — either to freeze or adapt. “You can feel overwhelmed by this change, or you can accept that change is inevitable,” he said. “If technology revolution were a 500-page book, we’re currently on page 450 — and it’s just getting interesting.”
Caldwell added that AI is leveling the playing field, stating, “No one can claim to be a 20-year expert in ChatGPT. That levels the field. The new talent, particularly the younger generation, is driving significant value.” Frias pointed out that Shopify is experiencing this shift as well. “We’re hiring many more junior employees,” he said. “They are the ones who are quickly harnessing these technologies.”
The Hard Work Behind the Hype
Despite the enthusiasm, Iorio warned that most AI experiments still do not succeed.
“A recent MIT study revealed that 95 percent of pilot projects in large organizations ultimately fail,” he said.
Caldwell noted that PetSmart’s priority is to help employees understand what AI can and cannot do.
“You have to establish a realistic understanding,” he said. “Some people believe AI can do everything, while others underestimate its capabilities. The truth lies somewhere in between.” Frias mentioned that Shopify aims to create a balance between structure and freedom.
“We provide the tools, establish safety and security, and then let them operate,” he said. “Boards will become impatient,” Frias said. “Currently, we are in an experimenting phase. Very soon, shareholders will expect progress and demand action.”
Rewriting the Processes
Caldwell suggested companies should rebuild their internal operations from the ground up.
“Our processes are tightly integrated,” he said. “We must be ready for potential brittleness — because when it breaks, it will shatter.” Frias said that successful companies are those that can adapt without breaking.
“The steps that were once thought necessary are no longer relevant,” he said. “If you can’t let go of outdated practices, you’ll struggle.”
Iorio emphasized that the wisest leaders will focus on enhancement as much as on automation. “AI can increase our productivity,” he said. “It’s not just about replacing tasks; it’s about enhancing them.”He cited the Brazilian fintech company Nubank as an example.
“AI instantly summarizes client histories and predicts issues,” Iorio said. “Humans remain involved — they just operate more intelligently.”
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