Shopify is continuing its AI feature push as part of its summer announcements in the biannual Shopify Editions newsletter, starting with its previously mentioned AI store designer.
A new “Horizon” theme (pictured above) lets merchants use AI prompts to customize their store content and layouts after choosing one of 10 presets for their shops. It replaces Shopify’s “Dawn” theme as the default, and is meant to help merchants focus their time on creative aspects of the design rather than coding or other technical issues. The designer isn’t marketed to generate product images.
“We want to make the complicated easy, so entrepreneurs can focus on what truly matters: growing their business and connecting with their customers.”
Vanessa Lee
VP, Product
Shopify
“Merchants can now translate a vision they have for their online store into something real much faster and without needing to code,” Shopify product VP Vanessa Lee said in a release. “As with everything we do here, we want to make the complicated easy so entrepreneurs can focus on what truly matters: growing their business and connecting with their customers.”
The company also touted multiple other AI updates. They claimed Sidekick, Shopify’s AI assistant for sellers, can now handle multiple analysis steps (such as multi-step reasoning) in one interaction as well as respond to voice queries.
Store owners can also create frequently asked questions (FAQs) that are easier for AI agents to read, theoretically helping customers learn about a business beyond conventional search.
Shopify has also redesigned its point-of-sale (POS) app to offer “intuitive workflows” for retail staff. The Shop app has a reworked home feed that the company claims has “more responsive recommendations” for customers. Shopify Payments now lets merchants sell from multiple businesses through one store, including payouts in different currencies.
The introductions come shortly after Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke sent employees a memo declaring that AI use was expected when prototyping products. He added that staff had to show that using AI wasn’t an option before requesting more resources and staff. The executive’s note prompted conversations about the dependence of AI at work, with supporters touting the declaration as innovative and necessary while critics warned that it could lead to reduced hiring or layoffs.
RELATED: Shopify posts solid Q1 2025 earnings amid trade war but anticipates slight profit dip
Shopify’s move also comes just a day before its main Canadian rival Lightspeed Commerce is set to release its first quarter (Q1) earnings. Market analysts expect it to perform in line with the sector, but it also previously beat estimates for multiple consecutive quarters.
Shopify beat its own forecasted revenue in Q1, but posted a $682-million net loss and lowered its outlook amid uncertainty around the United States’ (US) tariff-driven trade war. Company president Harley Finkelstein claimed the results showed little sign of economy-related slowdowns.
Disclosure: BetaKit majority owner Good Future is the family office of two former Shopify leaders, Arati Sharma and Satish Kanwar.
Feature image courtesy of Shopify.