Shopify Announces Canvas to Build Stores via AI Chat

With its newly introduced site-building tool called Canvas on Thursday, Shopify enables merchants to build and customize their e-commerce stores by chatting with artificial intelligence.

Canvas and AI-Powered Site Setup

Shopify has introduced a new site-building tool called Canvas, which allows users to create online stores by chatting with the Sidekick AI agent. This new system was launched as part of a broader industry transformation aimed at eliminating the need for traditional coding.

Real-Time Code Processing and Preview

Thanks to the Canvas tool, Sidekick processes changes in real-time directly through the actual code behind the store. This allows merchants to instantly test full page interactivity, animations, and appearances across different screen sizes.

The Role of the Sidekick Agent and File Management

While Sidekick was previously used for tasks like writing code and editing themes, with Canvas it has been transformed into a full site-building product for the first time. Shopify simplified the theme architecture to allow Sidekick to work directly with theme files.

Current Limitations and Future Plans

At the initial launch phase of the product, third-party theme support, app blocks, translations, and updates are not yet included. Additionally, Canvas currently only works on the desktop version, but plans are underway to expand these areas in the future.