Shopify Betting Big on Design as Once and Future King in the Age of AI
Tobi has in the past called himself a "design superfan". It's reflected in the growth of Shopify, and I think is underappreciated in the company's history.
There has been recent news with Shopify in design, but it wasn't the first. Actually, for that you must go back to 2013. Shopify acquired Jet Cooper, a UX design studio, which brought Satish Kanwar to Shopify.
Interestingly, Shopify used to have a Head of Design, a co-founder Daniel Weinand who ended his time there around 2017.
Fast-forward when Shopify exited Logistics in 2023, it was clear where the puck was moving. Shopify was preparing to shed anything that would distract it from its core. You might say that 2024 was the year Shopify hit overdrive in its AI investment.
Kevin Scott added to the Board, and a new AI-focused CTO. The launch of Sidekick.
In 2025, what is happening in Shopify's world? Design is Colliding with AI.
Just in 2025:
* Horizons launched, which allows AI-generated sections
* A complete AI storefront builder was announced
* Sidekick gained new capabilities, such as designing promotions and banners
* Carl Rivera, formerly head of Shop App, former founder of Tictail. Now Chief Design Officer. Carl's promotion ended an 8 year spell at Shopify without a head of design.
Carl was previously responsible for Shop App and Shop Pay.
* Shopify Design Studio was just (re-?) born last week from the acquisition of Molly Design Studio.
So where is the puck moving? Of course it's anyone's guess.
But creating companies that differentiate on design in the age of AI seems to be the bet. A new C-level role.
Keep in mind, this is from a company that has zero Chief Marketing Officer, and has not since 2020. But now they have a Chief Design Officer (again).
Priorities.
While you may or may not agree with the bet Shopify is making, it's important for the ecosystem to recognize, a tremendous bet has in fact been made inside of Shopify. A bet I believe to be equal to its focus on AI, and equal to its previous focus on Logistics. (In focus not capital!)
And that bet is on the primacy of Design as a competitive, sustainable differentiator in the age of AI. Frankly, I think the bet is simple.
Experiences need taste, and Shopify aims to provide it, along with all the tooling that merchants and agencies need to succeed and differentiate in the age of AI.
If AI becomes an uber-designer on its own, it might be a dumb bet. But, that's why it's a bet, right?
Still this is not a bet which feels risky to Shopify. It feels instead - comfortable. Almost like something they’ve bet on before that seems to have turned out pretty well for them.
