Shopify debuts Canvas to build online stores via AI chat
Shopify launched Canvas on October 1, 2026, allowing merchants to build and customize their online stores simply by chatting with AI agent Sidekick.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Shopify launched Canvas, an AI-powered site-building tool, on October 1, 2026.
- Merchants can chat with Sidekick, Shopify's AI agent, to set up and modify their stores.
- Canvas displays real-time updates, allowing users to view the store overview or zoom into details.
- It reduces the need for coding or hiring developers, making online selling more accessible.
Shopify introduced a brand new site-building tool on Thursday named Canvas, designed to let merchants establish and configure their online stores entirely through conversations with artificial intelligence. This launch marks a significant step toward simplifying the web creation process for users who lack coding skills or the budget to hire professional developers.
Before the arrival of Canvas, Shopify already provided a functional no-code builder, but it required users to edit selected themes by manually rearranging modular sections and blocks. Deeper and more advanced customizations, however, still demanded direct code editing or the assistance of a software developer.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
With Canvas, the workflow is streamlined as merchants simply communicate their desires to Shopify's AI agent, Sidekick, via chat. As the AI applies modifications, Canvas displays the results in real time, enabling merchants to observe the overall store appearance as it develops or zoom in to inspect specific details closely.
This rollout by Shopify aligns with a broader industry transition toward code-free website creation. It places the platform alongside other AI-driven site builders from companies like Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, and Framer, as well as emerging vibe-coding platforms like Lovable and Replit.
Merchants retain the option to click directly on individual elements to make manual adjustments if they prefer. Sidekick itself is not an entirely new feature, having previously been utilized for writing code, building applications, customizing themes, and executing various edits across stores.
"Users can see the entire store at once and zoom and pan around while making updates to the site's actual files."
TechCrunchTo achieve this capability, Shopify equipped Sidekick to interact directly with theme files while simultaneously simplifying the overall theme architecture. This ensures that the store's underlying structure, logic, and design are straightforward for the AI to interpret and alter accurately.
Although the product remains in its early stages with areas designated for future expansion, Canvas holds the potential to lower entry barriers for aspiring online sellers who lack developer budgets or coding expertise.
Source: TechCrunch
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