Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What does the perfect e-commerce platform look like in an AI era?
That’s the question Shopify’s Chief Design Officer Carl Rivera has set out to answer so this week’s episode is all about Shopify’s big bet on design and craft as the ultimate differentiator.
We go deep into:
- What happens when AI makes everyone a 7/10 designer
- What most design teams get wrong when casting vision
- How design can lead the creation of truly native AI experiences
- Why every designer at Shopify is learning to ship to production
- Carl’s thesis for why designers are severely undervalued in the market
- Why Shopify acquired Molly Studio and what it means for how the org works
- + a *lot* more
https://www.molly.studio/ - design studio acquired by Shopify
Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:05 How Shopify is elevating design
8:11 Why Shopify acquired Molly studio
13:51 How Carl thinks about design rituals
16:10 Designing north stars vs. focusing on scope
23:23 How design has responded to the CEO's AI memo
28:50 Why it's worth investing in AI prototypes
32:18 Envisioning the future of how design teams work
40:59 What qualities Carl looks for in designers
48:47 Why Carl loves agency designers
Dive is where the best designers never stop learning 🤿
🌐 dive.club
🐦 twitter.com/joindiveclub
Now you can join advanced courses taught by the top designers to help you take a huge leap forward in your career 💪
What does the perfect e-commerce platform look like in an AI era?
That’s the question Shopify’s Chief Design Officer Carl Rivera has set out to answer so this week’s episode is all about Shopify’s big bet on design and craft as the ultimate differentiator.
We go deep into:
- What happens when AI makes everyone a 7/10 designer
- What most design teams get wrong when casting vision
- How design can lead the creation of truly native AI experiences
- Why every designer at Shopify is learning to ship to production
- Carl’s thesis for why designers are severely undervalued in the market
- Why Shopify acquired Molly Studio and what it means for how the org works
- + a *lot* more
https://www.molly.studio/ - design studio acquired by Shopify
Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:05 How Shopify is elevating design
8:11 Why Shopify acquired Molly studio
13:51 How Carl thinks about design rituals
16:10 Designing north stars vs. focusing on scope
23:23 How design has responded to the CEO's AI memo
28:50 Why it's worth investing in AI prototypes
32:18 Envisioning the future of how design teams work
40:59 What qualities Carl looks for in designers
48:47 Why Carl loves agency designers
Dive is where the best designers never stop learning 🤿
🌐 dive.club
🐦 twitter.com/joindiveclub
Now you can join advanced courses taught by the top designers to help you take a huge leap forward in your career 💪
