Shopify launches Canvas AI tool for store design

Shopify has launched Canvas, a visual workspace designed to allow merchants to build and redesign entire online stores using an AI agent named Sidekick. Unlike traditional editors that focus on one page at a time, Canvas provides a single surface where users can view their homepage, product pages, and checkout flows side by side.

Users can interact with the tool using plain English to request specific changes or entire store-wide redesigns. The platform renders real store code, allowing merchants to preview animations, interactions, and responsiveness across different screen sizes before going live. Shopify reports that Sidekick has already performed over 25 million theme changes for merchants in the first half of 2026.

While Shopify claims a quality build can be completed in approximately twenty minutes, the company notes that Canvas is still in its early stages and does not yet replace the existing editor. No specific pricing details for the tool have been released.