On Wednesday, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong revealed that he has deployed an internal AI system that acts as the company's "CEO," integrating all Slack messages and Google Docs to help him manage the company and provide strategic advice. This practice suggests that the prospect of artificial intelligence replacing executive functions may become a reality sooner than expected.

While media reports have persistently focused on AI replacing entry-level jobs or even eliminating some middle-management positions, Armstrong's approach demonstrates that the possibility of AI replacing CEO or partial executive functions is accelerating. This system has evolved from a basic productivity tool into a strategic advisor, now widely used across teams such as legal and finance.

During an interview with "All-In" co-host Jason Calacanis at Davos, Armstrong stated that he has shifted from using AI for routine tasks to deeper strategic consultation, allowing the AI to proactively alert him to potential blind spots he might have overlooked. This "reverse prompting" model is changing the way executives make decisions.

The application scope of this system has surpassed traditional automation tools, beginning to involve core executive functions like strategic judgment and time management, providing a practical case study for AI application at the highest corporate levels.

Armstrong detailed that Coinbase deployed a self-hosted AI model over the past year, connecting all of the company's data sources. He said:

Every Slack message, every Google Doc, all Salesforce data, and Confluence content are now integrated; you can ask questions of these AI agents, and every team is using it.

Calacanis likened the system to the "Oracle of Coinbase," with Armstrong agreeing. By aggregating all internal communications and documents, the system creates a unified information repository, enabling the AI to develop a comprehensive understanding of the company's operational status.

This thorough data integration allows the AI to identify patterns and issues that human managers might miss, providing an unprecedented depth of information for executive decision-making.

Armstrong explained that his use of AI has undergone a fundamental transformation. "I'm not just prompting it with 'help me write this memo' anymore," he said. "As CEO, I ask these AI agents, 'What's happening in the company that I should know but might not?' It will tell me, 'You know, this team actually has a disagreement about the strategy,' and I genuinely didn't know because it can read every Slack message and every Google Doc."

This application method transforms AI from a passive execution tool into an active strategic advisor. Armstrong can use the AI to uncover latent problems within the organization that might be filtered out or delayed in traditional management hierarchies.

Armstrong disclosed that Coinbase board member and Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke introduced him to the concept of "reverse prompting." "He said it's like reverse prompting. You don't tell the AI agent what you want to do; you ask it what you should be thinking more about," Armstrong recounted.

Armstrong further illustrated the application of AI in executive performance management. "Like a mentor, a coach," Calacanis commented. Armstrong responded: "For example, 'What would make me a better CEO?' It might say, I looked at your time allocation last quarter; here is how you said you wanted to allocate it, but actually you spent 32% of your time on this instead of 20%."

He also asks the AI other strategic questions, such as "What is the thing I changed my mind about the most in the past year." This application extends beyond the realm of traditional management tools, touching on core executive functions like self-reflection and strategic adjustment.

Armstrong concluded: "It proactively prompts you with information you should be thinking about, not the other way around." This marks a fundamental shift in human-computer interaction—in the future, it won't be humans prompting AI, but AI prompting humans.