Key facts
- Shopify launched Canvas, an AI-powered tool for building online stores.
- Merchants can create and edit store designs by chatting with Shopify's AI agent, Sidekick.
- Canvas displays changes in real time and modifies the store's actual code.
- The tool allows testing of page interactivity and responsiveness across screen sizes.
Shopify launched a new site-building tool called Canvas on Thursday, which allows merchants to create and customize their online stores by conversing with an AI. Unlike previous no-code builders that involved rearranging pre-set sections, Canvas enables users to describe desired changes to Sidekick, Shopify's AI agent, and see the results rendered in real time.
According to Shopify, the changes made through Canvas affect the store's actual code, not just a preview, allowing for testing of full interactivity and animations across different screen sizes. Sidekick also takes screenshots to ensure it sees the same updates as the merchant.
This launch aligns with a broader industry trend of AI-driven website development tools, with competitors like Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, and Framer also offering similar AI-powered solutions. While merchants can still make direct edits, the primary interaction is expected to be through chat commands to Sidekick.
Shopify has enhanced Sidekick's capabilities to directly interact with theme files and simplified the theme architecture to facilitate easier AI-driven changes. Although the product is in its early stages, Canvas aims to lower the barrier to entry for online selling by reducing the need for coding skills or external developer assistance.