Shopify Unveils AI-Powered Store Builder in New Update
▼ Summary
– Shopify introduced new AI tools, including an AI store builder and an AI generator for creating store elements without coding.
– The platform upgraded Sidekick, its AI commerce assistant, with voice chat and screen sharing capabilities.
– Shopify launched a new public theme called “Horizon” with built-in AI and customizable “Theme Blocks” for design adjustments.
– Sidekick is now available in the Shopify mobile app and has seen monthly users more than double since early 2025.
– Shopify’s CEO suggested AI could help the company maintain a smaller workforce, reflecting its ongoing AI investment.
Shopify has rolled out a powerful suite of AI-driven features designed to streamline store creation and enhance merchant capabilities. The latest update introduces an AI store builder that constructs complete storefronts from simple prompts, eliminating technical barriers for entrepreneurs. Alongside this, an AI-powered design generator helps users craft banners and other visual elements without coding knowledge.
The platform also enhanced Sidekick, its AI commerce assistant, with voice chat and screen-sharing functions. Merchants can now verbally ask Sidekick for guidance, such as tariff information, and receive spoken responses. Screen sharing allows for real-time troubleshooting, making it easier to navigate complex settings.
These innovations were unveiled during Shopify’s biannual Edition event, which highlights major platform upgrades. The AI store builder works by generating a ready-to-publish shop based on a brief description, like “luxury skincare products.” From there, merchants can tweak layouts, colors, and content manually.
A new Horizon theme joins Shopify’s Theme Store, featuring AI-assisted customization through modular “Theme Blocks.” These let users rearrange sections, add animations, or generate images using natural language prompts—no coding required. For instance, describing a “minimalist homepage with a rotating product slider” automatically produces the necessary code.
Sidekick’s expansion to the Shopify mobile app reflects its growing adoption. Since its full launch in late 2024, active users have surged, more than doubling in early 2025. The assistant’s evolution aligns with CEO Tobi Lütke’s vision of leveraging AI to optimize operations, potentially reducing reliance on large teams.
With these upgrades, Shopify continues to prioritize accessibility and automation, empowering businesses to launch and scale with unprecedented ease. The integration of AI across store design, customer support, and backend management signals a shift toward more intuitive, efficient e-commerce solutions.
(Source: TechCrunch)