Shopify CEO uses Claude AI to build MRI viewer

Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke has revealed how he used artificial intelligence to solve a practical problem with his annual MRI scan files. Instead of installing commercial Windows software required to view the scans, Lütke said he used Claude to quickly create a web-based viewer.

Lütke explained how his yearly MRI scans are provided to him on a USB drive. The scans need to run on specialised Windows software to access them. Instead of having to find software to run on his computer, he used the artificial intelligence assistant Claude directly on the USB drive.

“Ran Claude on the stick and asked it to make me an HTML-based viewer tool,” he wrote in a post on X. According to Lütke, the tool generated a simple web interface that allowed him to open and explore the scan images more easily on his computer.

He said the second prompt allowed the system to add annotations to the MRI data, thus creating a more “interactive viewing experience". Lütke referred to the process as “a reflexively reaching for AI", a process by which developers instinctively use AI to resolve everyday technical issues.

The process is the latest in a larger conversation regarding the potential of generative AI tools and coding assistants to revolutionise the field of software development. Organisations are increasingly employing AI to automate programming processes previously undertaken by engineers or software.

The process has sparked further discussion following the unveiling of new features by Anthropic to assist businesses with workflow and coding automation. Investors are also concerned that the latest AI systems may disrupt traditional software and IT businesses.

The system can evaluate lab results, summarise medical records, and assist users with preparing for medical sessions.