This post covers the latest updates from Shopify Editions Winter '26. Sidekick's AI technology is evolving at a dizzying pace. Some features mentioned below are currently available only to Shopify Plus merchants or in Early Access beta.
Until today, when we talked about Artificial Intelligence in Shopify, we mostly meant "writing assistance": writing product descriptions, improving email subject lines, or translating text.
But on December 10th, during the Winter '26 Editions event, Shopify dropped a bombshell. Sidekick (the platform's AI assistant) stopped being a "junior intern" and became an Operations Manager. It no longer just "suggests"—it "executes."
In this review, we’ll explore how the new Sidekick is about to change the way you manage your store.
Table of Contents
- 1. Sidekick Pulse: The Business Advisor That Never Sleeps
- 2. Conversational Design: "Make the Button Round"
- 3. No-Code App Builder
- 4. Bulk Actions via Chat
- 5. Availability & Rollout
- 6. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Sidekick Pulse: The Business Advisor That Never Sleeps
The biggest shift is the move from Reactive (answering questions) to Proactive (initiating action).
The new feature, called Pulse, scans your store's data 24/7 and pushes smart notifications. It doesn't just tell you "sales are down"; it analyzes why.
Real-world examples:
- "I noticed Product X is selling faster than usual in New York. You will run out of stock in 2 days. Should I prepare a new purchase order?"
- "The conversion rate on the homepage dropped by 15% since the last design change. Should we revert to the previous version?"
2. Conversational Design: "Make the Button Round"
This is the dream for any store owner with zero knowledge of CSS or HTML.
Until now, changing a design element meant digging through complex theme editor menus or paying a developer. in Winter '26, Sidekick is connected directly to the store's design engine.
How does it work?
You open the chat and type: "Change the header background to black and make the logo 20% bigger."
Sidekick performs the change in real-time and shows you a preview. Love it? Click "Save." Hate it? "Undo."
3. No-Code App Builder
Let's say you need a specific report that doesn't exist in Shopify, or a special form for warehouse staff.
Instead of searching for a paid app in the App Store, you can simply ask Sidekick: "Build me a simple dashboard that tracks all returns due to 'wrong size' from the last month."
The AI writes the code, builds the interface, and presents you with a "micro-app" inside your admin panel within seconds.
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This is where the real time-saving happens. Sidekick can now perform actions on masses of products at once, based on a verbal command.
Instead of manually selecting products, you can type:
"Go through all products in the 'Winter 2025' collection, increase their price by 10%, and add the 'SALE' tag automatically."
It will prepare the action, ask for confirmation, and execute. What used to take an hour now takes 15 seconds.
5. Availability & Rollout
As always with Shopify, the best get it first.
- Shopify Plus: Get immediate access to most new features.
- Standard Plans (Basic/Advanced): Features are rolling out gradually throughout Q1 2026.
- Language: Currently, Sidekick works best in English, but support for other languages is improving daily.
