Shopify AI: What the AI tools for e-commerce can do

As part of its Summer Editions 2023, Shopify introduced Magic Suite, a highly complex tool that uses artificial intelligence to simplify life for merchants. Since then, its functions have been continuously expanded. The AI features are primarily designed to increase the productivity and performance of Shopify merchants. This is supported by the specially developed AI assistant “Sidekick,” which is available around the clock.

In the following article, we will show you what the Magic Suite can do and which tools and use cases will be particularly exciting for your Shopify store.

What is Shopify Magic?

Shopify Magic is a collection of free, AI-powered features that are integrated directly into Shopify. The tools use large language models (LLMs) to help merchants with text-based tasks such as product descriptions, email texts, and more. They combine the advantages of Shopify with modern AI technology and offer context-sensitive support.

Magic uses OpenAI models, for example, and is available natively in the Shopify admin, making it very easy to use.

What is Shopify Sidekick?

Sidekick is an AI assistant within Shopify that knows your store's data, structure, and content and can provide answers, suggestions, or even perform actions directly in the admin area.

While Sidekick originally started as a chat assistant for questions, analyses, and simple tasks, Shopify greatly expanded it in the winter of '26—from a supportive reporter to a proactive business partner that suggests and generates tasks itself.

Shopify AI: How does Shopify Magic support merchants?

Shopify Magic helps merchants speed up everyday writing processes through automatic text generation. The AI-powered tool uses information you provide to generate suggestions for content such as product descriptions, email subject lines, and headlines in your store.

This automatic text generation is based from Large Language Models (LLMs). These are computer programs designed to process and understand human language. To do this, these programs analyze large amounts of text data, such as books, articles, and web pages, and use static algorithms to detect patterns and understand relationships between words and sentences. Tasks that can be performed by LLMs include answering questions, translating language, summarizing text, and creating unedited content.

Text suggestions can be integrated in the following parts of your store:

1. Blog posts

Shopify Magic helps you write and edit blog posts through automatic text generation. However, at the moment, the usage and text output are only available in English.

The feature uses artificial intelligence (AI) to use details you enter, such as the topic, tonality, and other special instructions, to write an article for your blog.

2. Product descriptions

With automatic text generation, you can also use Shopify Magic to create and edit product descriptions. Similar to blog posts, you can give specific instructions (prompts) that the AI will implement. You can also rewrite existing descriptions by using Shopify Magic to generate suggestions for selected text. Shopify Magic is well suited for initial text drafts, variants, or rewordings. However, especially in the case of products that require explanation or technical products, retailers should always supplement and check the content professionally.

3. Shopify email

Shopify Magic can also provide suggestions for your subject line and email texts in Shopify Email. It does this using details you enter, such as campaign type and product keywords. If you have already written drafts for your email subject line, keywords will be automatically generated based on your subject line.

However, at the moment this feature is in the early access phase and is only available for some merchants.

4. Shopify Inbox

Shopify Magic also helps you generate suggestions for instant replies. All these automatic answers are based on Shopify policies and your conversation history. If there is not enough information available, the suggested answers are based on frequently asked questions you receive. You can select these questions and then add an appropriate answer for your store. Currently, this feature is only available in English.

5. Theme-Editor

Additionally, you can generate suggestions in your theme editor based on the details you provide, such as headings and titles. This feature is also currently in the early access phase and is only available for some merchants.

However, Shopify AI also has its limitations. For example, you can't write multiple descriptions at once or write descriptions for products with many features or technical specifications.

In these cases, merchants should look for more specialized tools or other specific copywriting apps.

In a nutshell:

Shopify Magic helps merchants save time, create content faster, and automate repetitive text tasks without having to use external tools or plugins.

Tips for text generation with Shopify Magic AI

Below, we've gathered some helpful tips that will help you increase the quality of auto-generated texts. Also, you can use our tips to make sure that the text matches the personality of your brand.

Auto-generated text can help you with some tasks, but you should still keep the following in mind:

1. All texts generated by Large Language Models (LLMs) have different quality. In some cases, LLMs also generate text that is nonsensical or even offensive. So you should always check the generated text carefully to make sure it is correct and meets your standards.

2. In addition, you can give Shopify Magic special instructions to define things like content length or format.

3. Tonality also plays an important role for your generated content. It significantly influences what customers feel when reading your texts. So, check that the text generated by Shopify Magic matches the information, your mission, your values, and customer expectations.

4. When generating automated text for emails, product descriptions, and your theme, you can choose from predefined tones (e.g. playful, professional, persuasive, bold...) or set a custom tone. If you are not sure, you can test the different settings to generate different versions of the text.

What options does Sidekick offer?

Sidekick provides merchants with intelligent answers to questions, can create customized content for marketing emails, for example, and handles various tasks related to running the e-commerce business. Sidekick is fed with countless information about Shopify and can provide relevant support.

The tool is activated by an icon that looks like a small superhero. A chat will appear on the right side of the screen, where the tool will answer all your questions about your business and will be able to quickly and easily perform tasks for you.

When you open Sidekick, a number of predefined tasks will be suggested to you, which you can let Sidekick take care of. These are, for example:

• Creating a discount

• Performing a store analysis

• Editing the theme

However, as already touched upon, that's not all. Let's take a look at some of the use cases that Sidekick can support.

Shopify Sidekick application examples

What Sidekick makes possible is more than exciting. Sidekick can help retailers with the following tasks:

• Segmenting customers

• Conducting product research

• Creating store analyses

• Setting up promotions and discounts

• Changes to the store design up to complete redesigns

• Adding product collections to the homepage

• Suggesting texts and themes for Hero banners

• Creation of different blog post types

• and much more.

In practice, Sidekick delivers its greatest added value for recurring, clearly defined tasks. For complex shop architectures, individual UX concepts, or strategic decisions, Sidekick is no substitute for experience or consulting.

Sidekick is available free of charge for all Shopify plans.

New possibilities with the Winter Editions '26

With the Winter Editions '26, Sidekick has been significantly expanded and is increasingly evolving from a pure assistant to a proactive business partner:

• Proactive recommendations (Sidekick Pulse): Sidekick actively alerts merchants to anomalies, trends, or optimization potential, e.g., declining sales figures, well-performing products, or possible discount campaigns. This feature is currently being integrated step by step.

• Creation of workflows and automations: Retailers can use text input to ask Sidekick to create automations with Shopify Flow, e.g., for email notifications, stock alerts, or customer classifications—without any technical know-how.

• Generation of tools and mini-apps: Sidekick can create simple internal tools such as product importers, report generators, or inventory aids that can be used directly in the Shopify admin. This is currently only available with the Grow plan or higher.

• Advanced design support: Changes to themes, sections, or layouts can be initiated using natural language. In addition, Shopify supports AI-powered image editing (e.g., backgrounds, cropping, formats) directly in the admin interface and in the mobile app.

• Reusable prompts and team workflows: Frequently used instructions can be saved as reusable skills and used by the team to standardize processes.

• Voice and mobile use: Sidekick is also available in the Shopify app and can be used via voice command—ideal for merchants who manage their store on the go.

Shopify AI and SEO: How AI improves your visibility

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly central role in search engine optimisation (SEO), helping Shopify merchants to improve their online presence. With Shopify AI tools, merchants can take targeted, data-driven actions to increase their organic traffic and reach customers more effectively.

Automated meta descriptions and title optimisation

Shopify AI can automatically generate compelling and search engine friendly meta descriptions and SEO titles that are specifically tailored to your product pages and blogs. The AI takes into account relevant keywords, search trends and the target audience to create content that is not only informative but also attractive. These optimised meta descriptions and titles help to increase click-through rates (CTR) by highlighting them in search results and making them particularly appealing to potential customers.

Keyword optimisation and analysis

Shopify supports merchants with search engine optimization through integrated SEO features and AI-powered content assistance. Sidekick and other Shopify tools can help with the creation and optimization of product descriptions, page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt text, incorporating relevant terms or keywords into the text.

The actual keyword research—i.e., the analysis of search volume, trends, and competitive intensity—is usually done using external SEO tools such as Semrush, which access data from search engines and marketplaces. These tools can also suggest long-tail keywords and search-related terms that are frequently used by the target audience.

Shopify AI, SEO & AI Search (GEO)

With AI Overviews and generative search, it is no longer enough to just “rank well.” Content must be clearly structured, technically sound, and quotable.

Shopify Magic can help with the wording – but visibility comes from experience, clean page structures, structured data, and real added value.

Content optimisation

Shopify AI analyses existing content by using advanced algorithms to evaluate the structure and quality of texts. It provides detailed recommendations to improve readability, such as simplifying complicated sentences, using active language and optimising text length. This ensures that your content is easy to understand and keeps the attention of your target audience.

Image SEO

Shopify's AI tools can automatically generate alt texts for images that are not only SEO-friendly, but also significantly improve the accessibility of your website. Search engines use alt texts to understand the content and context of images, which increases your visibility in search results. Automated alt texts also save time and ensure that no image goes unnoticed, which is often the case when texts have to be created manually. With this feature, you can optimise the performance of your website from both a technical and user-oriented perspective.

Data analysis and reporting

AI helps to analyse important metrics such as page load speed, bounce rate and dwell time and provides valuable insights into the performance of your website. A slow load time can deter visitors and negatively impact your ranking in search results. By using AI-supported analyses, you can identify and eliminate bottlenecks, e.g. by optimising images or reducing unnecessary scripts.

Shopify AI tools: 5 useful AI apps for your Shopify store

The Shopify App Store contains a number of beneficial apps that you can use to optimize your online store. We have summarized five of them for you:

1. Tabs

Tabs allow you to organize your product pages using tabs and sections. This ensures a better customer experience in your Shopify store and thus offers potential for increasing sales. The tool also enables the creation of AI-based product descriptions and has SEO-adapted product tabs.

2. AI ChatGPT description: ST

The App Store offers several apps for automatic text creation. AI ChatGPT description: ST is another AI tool for creating AI-based product descriptions. The tool works with algorithms and language processing capabilities, enabling effortless generation of product descriptions. This helps customers to better understand the product.

3. Adeagle: Get Traffic - AI Ads

Adeagle allows you to target users who show interest in your products and retarget them through personalized marketing campaigns. Shoppers browse blogs, forums and product videos, search for good deals in mobile apps and explore other stores that offer similar products to yours. These are exactly the places where you can place ads with Adeagle so that customers become aware of your store.

4. SEOAnt - AI SEO Optimizer

SEOAnt supports you with your search engine optimization. The application covers all the key factors in SEO - from technical search engine optimization to keyword research and backlinks to strengthen your position in the search results. It also automates the majority of SEO tasks, saving you time and effort.

5. Tidio Live Chat & AI Chatbots

Tidio is a customer platform that enables online stores to provide active customer service and convert passive visitors into buyers. Thanks to out-of-the-box sales and support chatbots, the most common questions can be answered immediately. With the ability to manage all customer messages in one place, it provides a simple helpdesk solution for your Shopify store.

Conclusion

The launch of the new Shopify Magic and Sidekick AI tools demonstrates Shopify's commitment to boosting e-commerce merchant productivity and performance. Shopify Magic enables automatic text generation, is based on powerful artificial intelligence technologies, and is natively integrated into the platform.

Shopify Magic and Sidekick are powerful tools for speeding up operational tasks. However, they only reach their full potential when combined with clear processes, a clean shop structure, and strategic experience. AI is a lever, not a sure-fire success.

Overall, the launch of these new AI tools shows that Shopify is continuously working to improve the e-commerce experience for its merchants and provide them with valuable resources.