The e-commerce giant Shopify has officially launched its Sidekick tool in early access, expanding its services to a wider customer base. In addition, Shopify has introduced a range of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve user experience and attract more customers, with a focus on growing its customer base and revenue.

Canadian e-commerce company Shopify announced the availability of its AI-driven tools, including Sidekick - an AI assistant and image generation tool, to a broader audience. These tools offer product recommendations concerning color, size, and style, aiming to enhance the shopping experience for users.

The introduction of these tools is part of Shopify's strategy to drive revenue growth and increase its market share. Customers can now utilize Sidekick's editing features on their mobile devices to enhance images used in promotional materials without the need for extensive online editing.

Shopify Unveils Latest Updates

Previously, the editing tools were limited to online image editing only. However, Shopify revealed during its biannual product event that it is expanding access to more customers by introducing additional AI features to enhance its market appeal.

Sidekick, a support chatbot, assists merchants with queries and provides insights into customer behavior. Launched in the previous year, this tool offers merchants services such as discount codes and blog suggestions. With over 2,000 users during its beta phase, Sidekick has made a significant impact in supporting Shopify's customer base.

Shopify also introduced approximately 150 AI updates to create a more cohesive platform. According to Shopify president Harley Finkelstein, these updates will provide merchants with a seamless experience in scaling their businesses effectively.

Integration of AI Updates to Drive Business Growth

Shopify witnessed substantial growth during the Covid-19 pandemic, as consumers turned to online platforms during the lockdowns. However, challenges such as inflation and reduced consumer spending affected its primary user base of small and medium-sized enterprises.

To address these challenges, Shopify expanded access to its AI-powered features to attract more businesses to its platform. Despite projecting a decrease in quarterly revenue, Shopify plans to invest more in marketing initiatives to bolster its market presence.

The recent updates are expected to help Shopify rebound by attracting a larger customer base and enhancing its earnings. Among the new features is an AI-powered tool that suggests replies for customer queries in the Shopify inbox. Merchants have the flexibility to customize and send these responses, enhancing customer engagement and support.