You can now build Shopify store by talking to AI
What's the story
Shopify has launched a new site-building tool, Canvas, that allows merchants to set up their online stores by simply chatting with artificial intelligence (AI). The innovative tool is powered by Shopify's AI agent, Sidekick. Unlike the previous no-code builder, which required editing a selected theme and rearranging modular sections and blocks for deeper customizations, Canvas offers a more intuitive approach to building websites.
User experience
Merchants can chat with Sidekick to create their sites
With Canvas, merchants can simply chat with Sidekick to create their sites.
The AI makes changes in real time, giving users a live view of how their store looks as it comes together.
This is not just a static preview but the actual code behind the store being rendered.
Merchants can test full interactivity and animation of pages, viewing them across different screen sizes.
AI advancements
Sidekick was previously used for various tasks
Sidekick, the AI agent behind Canvas, has been used for various tasks like writing code, building apps, customizing themes, and making other edits.
However, it was never integrated into a full site-building product like Canvas before.
This new tool gives users a complete view of their store at once and lets them zoom in and out while making updates to the site's actual files.
Industry trend
Canvas joins other AI site-building tools
The launch of Canvas is part of a larger trend toward AI-powered site-building tools. It joins other similar products from companies like Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, and Framer.
This move shows Shopify's commitment to making website building easier and more accessible for everyone, even those without coding skills or budgets for developers and designers.