Hire An AI Before You Hire a Human

THIS WEEK’S STORY

The AI-Native Founder

The next wave of great companies won’t just be built with AI — they’ll be built by people who never could have started a company without it.

And that changes everything.

This week, a leaked Shopify memo from CEO Tobi Lütke hit the internet — and it's a wake-up call. Shopify now expects every employee to use AI as part of their daily work. It's not optional. It's not a bonus. It’s the baseline.

The biggest mind shift?

Hire an AI before you hire a human.

Read that again.

It’s a simple but massive shift. Whether you’re designing, prototyping, shipping, or scaling — AI is your first teammate. Your AI designer, developer, marketer, support agent… before you post your first job, spin up your first prompt.

And here's what it means for you.

If you’re not technical, this is your moment.
You no longer need to learn how to code.
You just need to learn how to collaborate.

The founders who leverage AI to do the heavy lifting — who build apps, test products, run experiments with AI instead of hiring full teams — will outcompete everyone. Even the most experienced devs.

Because while others are hiring...
You're shipping.
While others are planning...
You're prototyping.
And while others are waiting on resources...
You’ve already got 10 AI teammates at work.

We’re entering the age of the AI-native founder.
And non-technical builders who learn to ride this wave?

They’ll own the next decade.

HEADLINES

Firebase Just Launched a Free MVP Builder — and It’s 🔥

This week, Firebase dropped a bomb: Firebase Studio — their brand-new low-code web app builder. Think of it like Google's answer to tools like v0, Lovable, and Bolt

But here’s the twist: It’s free. It’s fast. And it’s built on top of Firebase — Google’s production-grade backend.

If you’re a non-technical founder trying to bring your app idea to life, this is huge. You can:

• Generate working frontends from a prompt (just like v0)

• Connect it directly to Firebase Auth, Firestore, and storage

• Preview live UIs and publish instantly

• Avoid the headache of wiring up a backend or learning dev ops

While Lovable and Bolt focus on beautiful UX for landing pages and prototypes, Firebase Studio gives you a path to launch a real, scalable product — without needing to code.

This could easily become the most powerful free tool to build your AI SaaS MVP in 2024.

So If you're dreaming of launching something, this might be your green light moment. Open Firebase Studio. Start prompting. Your app is a few clicks away.

THIS WEEK’S TIP

Build Your AI Team Before Your Human Team

In 2025, your first hires shouldn’t be people—they should be AI.

Today’s non-technical founders can move faster and cheaper by assembling an AI-first team. You can prototype, test, build, and iterate without touching code or hiring a full-time staff. That’s not just a hack—it’s a new standard.

Here’s what your AI-powered startup team might look like:

🧠 AI Developers
Spin up full-stack MVPs using tools like Lovable, v0, Firebase Studio, Bolt.new, and Replit. These platforms turn simple prompts into working code—frontend and backend.

⚙️ AI Automations & Agents
Use n8n, Make.com, and Gumloop to automate workflows, connect your stack, and build backend logic with zero engineering.

🎨 AI Designers
With Figma AI and Canva’s Magic Studio, you can turn vague sketches into polished UI mockups, decks, and branding in minutes.

💬 AI Chatbots
Train and deploy smart chat agents with Botpress to handle customer support, onboard users, or act as in-app guides.

🎙️ AI Voice Agents
Build voice assistants using ElevenLabs and Vapi that sound human and scale better than any call center.

These tools aren’t just accessories—they are your first team. They handle product, design, marketing, support… while you focus on vision and traction.

Founders who go AI-first will ship faster, adapt quicker, and burn less cash than those stuck in traditional hiring cycles.

In the new wave of startups, those who build with AI from day one won’t just compete—they’ll win.

QUICK HITS

• OpenAI Upgrades GPT-4.5 with Reasoning Nodes: Enhances multi-step logic for smarter low-code workflows. (TechCrunch)

• Bubble Launches AI Marketplace: Plug-and-play pre-trained models like GPT-4.5 and Gemini for no-code apps. (The Verge)

• Replit Debuts Ghostwriter Vibe Mode: Describe features in plain English to code apps—ideal for non-coders. (Forbes)

• Google Adds Gemini AutoFlow: Automatically builds app logic for low-code users, halving dev time. (ZDNet)

• Meta Enhances Llama 3.2 Debugging: Smarter, faster AI-powered error fixing for collaborative coding. (CNBC)

And That is all for this week!

See you next Saturday!

Filippo

Filippo Pietrantonio

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