Shopify’s ‘Magic’ AI image editor can make any product pics look professional

Shopify’s ‘Magic’ AI image editor can make any product pics look professional

Shopify has introduced a new addition to its suite of generative AI tools called Shopify Magic, which includes a media editor offering generative image fill and conversational search powered by AI. The image editor allows merchants to change photo backgrounds without needing Photoshop skills to match their desired theme.

According to Glen Coates, Shopify's vice president of product, many sellers on the platform lack access to professional studios or photographers but still need high-quality product presentation. The new AI editor aims to lower barriers for entrepreneurs without any additional costs. Coates mentioned in an interview with The Verge, "We know not everyone has access to studios or mannequins, so we want to lower the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs to present their products in the best light."

The image editing tool provides various background styles such as minimal, vibrant, natural, urban, rugged, refined, and surreal. These styles cater to different preferences and aesthetics, ensuring a visually appealing product display for merchants. Shopify's suite of generative AI tools also includes automated product descriptions, chatbot integration, and suggested replies for merchant-buyer interactions.

Although Shopify serves larger brands like Skims, a significant portion of its user base consists of smaller independent sellers and direct-to-customer businesses. Shopify faces competition from other platforms offering AI-powered features, such as Amazon's AI tools for summarizing product reviews and recommending clothing sizes. Shopify's semantic search feature interprets conversational search queries, providing more relevant search results based on user intent. Coates emphasized that Shopify employs a mix of AI foundation models like GPT and Llama 2 to optimize the suite of AI tools.