Sidekick
AI merchant assistant expanded in Winter '26 with proactive advice and plain-language store edits.
What it is
Shopify's AI assistant for merchants. The Winter '26 Edition added Sidekick Pulse, which suggests store changes, theme edits made in plain language, and Flow workflows built from a description.
Why it matters to the stock. Sidekick is the AI feature that brings merchants deeper into the platform, which supports subscription and payments use over time.
News
Shopify launches Canvas, a chat-driven visual store builder powered by Sidekick
Shopify launched Canvas on October 1, 2026, a visual workspace where merchants see every page of their store at once and build with Sidekick.
Shopify admin gets a redesign with Sidekick moved to the bottom of every page
Shopify redesigned its merchant admin on September 15, 2026 and moved the Sidekick AI assistant to a fixed position at the bottom of every page.
Shopify SimGym AI shopper testing moves to research preview for eligible merchants
On March 11, 2026 Shopify made SimGym available in AI research preview to all eligible merchants.