Shopify said on Tuesday that shoppers will soon be able to connect any AI agent to its product catalog, The Verge reported. The catalog has over a billion listings, on and off Shopify storefronts. Shopify partnered with Meta in September so its Muse agent could shop for people. The new option needs no such deal, The Verge says. A shopper links an agent to a Shop account, Shopify's app for orders and package tracking. Checkout happens in the chat through one-click Shop Pay, and the order returns to the Shop app.
Shopify markets this as a personal shopper. The Verge says shoppers can set rules, such as a budget limit or fast shipping only, and must approve each purchase. It gives no launch date beyond "soon". It does not name the agents, say whether merchants can opt out, or explain how the rules are enforced.
This is analysis, not reported fact. In this design, the Shop account and Shop Pay act as the control point between any agent and a merchant. Based on The Verge's account, the visible controls are the shopper's rules and the approval step. Shopify's other safeguards are not described. Merchants should ask Shopify whether they can opt out and what order details they receive. The Verge adds that Amazon is contesting agent shopping with Perplexity and Meta's Muse.