In the rapidly evolving world of fintech, embracing artificial intelligence (AI) has become essential for success. Geoff Charles, the Chief Product Officer at Ramp—valued at $32 billion—has recently emphasized this point, urging employees to leverage AI-assisted coding tools.
During a recent episode of the “Behind the Craft” podcast, Charles stated that all employees should strive to be ‘AI-native.’ He remarked, “If you’re not using Claude code this year, regardless of your role, you’re likely not performing as well as your peers within the company.”
Charles explained that Ramp assesses AI proficiency through a multi-tiered system. At level zero, employees may only “occasionally use ChatGPT,” while those who can adeptly build automation apps are categorized at level two. Level three individuals, he noted, are “systems builders” who have pushed their boundaries further.
“Our goal is to elevate everyone within the organization,” Charles added. He also made a stark prediction: employees at level zero are unlikely to remain at the company. “Without a self-starting attitude and a growth mindset, training and development will be particularly challenging,” he cautioned.
Currently, approximately 50% of Ramp’s code is generated by AI, a figure Charles anticipates will rise to 80% by March. He noted that the responsibilities of product managers will also shift in this AI-driven era, with some transitioning into builders, while others will concentrate more on business strategy.
In November, Ramp announced a successful fundraising round of $300 million, which brought its valuation to $32 billion. This funding round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and included notable investors such as Founders Fund, Coatue, GIC, Thrive Capital, and Khosla Ventures.
The Shift Towards AI in Companies
Charles’ statements come at a time when many tech firms are restructuring their operations to integrate AI more fully. For instance, Block recently reduced its workforce by nearly half, citing advancements in AI as a significant factor behind the layoffs.
Last week, Atlassian announced the elimination of around 1,600 positions—about 10% of its global workforce—as part of a strategy to prioritize AI development and enhance enterprise growth. “It would be misleading to suggest that AI does not alter the skills we require or the number of positions necessary in specific areas. It certainly does,” remarked CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes in a communication with employees.
Ramp isn’t the only organization focusing on improving how employees utilize AI in their roles. In February, Google managers informed some non-technical staff that they should begin incorporating AI into their everyday tasks. Reports indicated that their effective use of AI could later influence performance evaluations.
Daniel Yanisse, the CEO of the background-check startup Checkr, shared that his company has encouraged employees from various departments to engage with AI tools, not just engineers. “We provided every employee with a monthly stipend for trying out AI tools and held AI days and demos. As a result, around 95% of our employees now use prompting on a daily basis,” Yanisse noted last month.
