The Complete Guide to Shopify’s AI Features

TL;DR: Shopify has gone all-in on AI. Natively, you get Shopify Magic (AI text, images, theme & block generation), Sidekick (an admin-side assistant), AI Store Builder (generate an entire storefront from prompts), AI in Inbox (suggested replies & instant answers), Search & Discovery upgrades (and an AI search acquisition), image editing with AI background/scene generation, automatic translations via Translate & Adapt, and ML-powered fraud analysis. Most of these are included on all plans at no extra cost. (Shopify Help Center)

What’s new in 2025 (highlights)

• AI Store Builder: type a few keywords → Shopify generates three complete store layouts (copy + images), drastically shortening setup time. Announced May 21, 2025. (Reuters)

• Deeper “Magic” in admin: AI text in more places, AI media generation inside the file editor, and theme/block generation from prompts. Recent changelog shows enhanced image prompting (e.g., “studio packshot” backgrounds). (Shopify Help Center)

• Search gets smarter: Shopify acquired Vantage Discovery (AI search) to boost semantic, personalized results across commerce. (Business Insider)

1) Shopify Magic (built-in, free)

What it is: A suite of AI features sprinkled across Shopify to help you write, design, and build faster. Works on most plans; feature availability can vary by area and language. (Shopify Help Center)

Where you can use it today:

• Product descriptions (generate or rewrite from title/keywords). (Shopify Help Center)

• Blog posts, pages, Shopify Email content and subject lines. (Shopify Help Center)

• Shopify Inbox: instant answers & AI-suggested replies. (Shopify Help Center)

• Theme editor & theme blocks: describe the block you want; Magic generates the Liquid/section code. (Shopify Help Center)

• AI media generation in the file editor: background removal, scene changes, hero banners, even logo concepts. (Generates one scene at a time; save assets before closing.) (Shopify Help Center)

Language support (GA features): English plus German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese; early-access features may vary. (Shopify Help Center)

2) Sidekick (AI assistant in your admin)

What it is: An AI-enabled commerce assistant trained on Shopify; it references your store context to answer questions, generate content, suggest marketing actions, create reports, and guide you step-by-step if it can’t execute something directly. (Shopify Help Center)

Use cases right now:

• Ask: “Create a discount for new subscribers” or “Draft a weekly sales summary.”

• Get help with small theme edits, segments, or campaign ideas; it can produce content and instructions in-context. (It’s scoped to Shopify data/actions.) (Shopify Help Center)

Availability expanded beyond early tests through 2024/25; Shopify has been widely rolling it out. (Reuters)

3) AI Store Builder

What it does: Merchants enter descriptive keywords; Shopify generates three full storefront options (layout, text, and images) to jump-start setup. Great for new brands or quick landing sites. (Reuters)

4) AI for Service: Shopify Inbox

Built-in Inbox can suggest replies and instant answers that pull from your policies and product data to speed up support while keeping a human in the loop. Toggle auto-suggestions in Inbox settings. (Shopify)

5) AI Search & Discovery

Shopify’s Search & Discovery app powers on-site search, filters, and recommendations. With Shopify’s Vantage Discovery acquisition, expect more AI/LLM-driven search relevance and personalization to continue improving. (Shopify App Store)

6) AI Images in Admin

• Background removal & scene generation in the file editor, plus promptable changes (e.g., studio backgrounds). Handy for quick merchandising without separate software. (Shopify Help Center)

(For high-volume image pipelines you can still add third-party AI editors from the App Store.) (Shopify App Store)

7) Automatic Translations (Translate & Adapt)

Use Shopify’s Translate & Adapt to auto-translate store content (2 languages free via Google Translate) and edit side-by-side; pairs neatly with Shopify Markets. (Shopify App Store)

(You can localize URLs and manage translations across products, themes, and files.) (Shopify Help Center)

8) Fraud Analysis & Safer Payments (ML)

Shopify flags risky orders with machine-learning fraud analysis trained across the network, helping you decide to fulfill, verify, or cancel. Shopify also reports improved authorization rates from ML signals + 3DS in Payments. (Shopify Help Center)

Developer-side AI (quick note)

If you build custom storefronts with Hydrogen/Storefront API, Shopify has AI-first developer content and recipes; Summer ’25 Editions highlighted AI-assisted patterns and agent-style tooling for devs. (Shopify)

How to decide which AI to use (a practical playbook)

1. New store? Start with AI Store Builder → pick a layout → refine copy with Magic → tweak sections with theme block generation. (Reuters)

2. Catalog heavy? Use Magic for first-draft descriptions; set a tone and add specifics (materials, sizes) so outputs are accurate. (Shopify Help Center)

3. Support load? Turn on Inbox suggestions & instant answers; keep policies updated so replies stay accurate. (Shopify Help Center)

4. Merch visuals fast? Use the file editor to remove/change backgrounds; save the generated assets you like. (Shopify Help Center)

5. Going global? Enable Translate & Adapt auto-translation for your first two languages, then hand-edit key pages. (Shopify App Store)

6. Reduce risk at checkout: Monitor the fraud analysis signals on suspect orders; combine with AVS/CVV and (if needed) a specialist app. (Shopify Help Center)

FAQs

Is Shopify Magic free?
Yes—Magic tools are included with Shopify plans (access varies by feature and language). (Shopify Help Center)

Which languages does Magic support for text generation?
GA coverage includes English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. (Shopify Help Center)

Can Sidekick “do” tasks or only advise?
It can generate content, create reports, suggest steps, and—in many cases—perform admin-side actions; if it can’t, it provides step-by-step instructions. (Shopify Help Center)

Final thoughts

Shopify’s AI stack now spans store setup → merchandising → marketing → support → risk, with most capabilities native and free. For teams focused on speed and operating cost, these features are worth adopting as “default.” Layer specialist apps only where your volume or edge cases demand it. (Shopify Help Center)

Suggested SEO title & description (you can tweak for Romanian/English audiences)

• SEO Title: Shopify AI in 2025: Magic, Sidekick, AI Store Builder, and More (Real Features You Can Use Today)

• Meta Description: A practical guide to Shopify’s AI—Shopify Magic text & images, Sidekick assistant, AI Store Builder, Inbox suggested replies, Search & Discovery upgrades, translations, and fraud ML. Updated Oct 19, 2025.

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