Notion COO Akshay Kothari: Company Has Completed Transition to AI-Native Organization
Notion COO Akshay Kothari stated that over the past year, many founders have inquired about how Notion transitioned to an AI-native company. His team has systematically organized this process, covering mission restructuring, product pathways, technical architecture, and organizational and cultural adjustments, and has released a comprehensive in-depth analysis.
The core of this transition is upgrading AI from a functional plugin to the underlying logic of products and organizations, rather than just an added capability. The relevant content has been organized and published by Notion team members, reflecting the company's phased achievements in AI integration and organizational restructuring.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
“AI-native” means moving from tool augmentation to system rewriting. Early software companies added AI features to existing products, while AI-native companies assume “intelligence exists” from the start, fundamentally changing product structure, interaction methods, and even data architecture. This shift is similar to the transition from PC thinking to mobile-first during the mobile internet era.
Notion's path is representative: its core is a knowledge and information organization tool, and the introduction of AI changes “how information is produced and consumed.” When content can be automatically generated, summarized, and reorganized, the product becomes more than just storage and editing; it transforms into a “cognitive interface.” This will reshape user behavior and redefine software value.
More critically, adjustments at the organizational level are involved. AI-native is not just a technological upgrade but also involves changes in talent structure and decision-making processes. For example, the boundaries between product, engineering, and research become blurred, allowing small teams to accomplish tasks that previously required collaboration across multiple functions. This compresses middle management and increases organizational responsiveness.
From an industry perspective, this type of transformation marks a new paradigm shift in the software industry. Companies that have not completed restructuring will gradually be marginalized by the “AI-native experience,” while those that have completed the transition will have the opportunity to redefine categories. Competition is no longer just about features, but about “who is closer to the user's thought process.”