How AI is changing software engineering at Shopify with Farhan Thawar

In this live podcast episode, Gergely Orosz interviews Farhan Thawar, Head of Engineering at Shopify, about Shopify's AI-first approach. Farhan discusses Shopify's early adoption of AI coding tools like GitHub Copilot and Cursor, and how these tools are now being used across different departments, including finance and sales. He shares insights into Shopify's internal infrastructure, such as the LLM proxy and MCP servers, which facilitate secure and efficient AI usage. Farhan also touches on Shopify's unique approach to hiring, including coding interviews for engineering directors and the company's focus on learning from a large cohort of AI-reflexive interns. He emphasizes the importance of role modeling and experimentation in fostering an AI-first culture, and shares his perspective on the potential impact of AI on software development and the SaaS industry.