Starting January 26, 2026, your Shopify products will automatically become available in AI shopping assistants like Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot through Shopify.

What this means: When someone asks an AI agent for product recommendations, your items could appear in the results. Customers will click through to your Shopify checkout to complete purchases.

The good news: This happens automatically. You can opt out if you want, but everyone has access.

The better news: There are just two simple things you can do to improve your chances of being found clearly and accurately.

TWO ESSENTIAL ACTIONS 

ACTION 1: Set Up Your FAQ Knowledge Base

The Shopify Knowledge Base App (the one with the lightbulb icon) structures information about your store into short, direct, clear questions and answers that AI agents can easily read and understand.

Why this matters: Whatever is easy for humans to read is easy for AI to read and understand. This increases your chances of being found.

How to do it:

1. Install the Knowledge Base App (free, made by Shopify) from your Shopify admin

2. The app will automatically create some questions based on your existing store content

3. Review these auto-generated questions for accuracy

4. Answer all the suggested questions (these are low-hanging fruit)

5. Add your own frequently asked questions about: • Product usage and care instructions • Information customers need to make buying decisions • Details from your buyer's guides • Your return and shipping policies • Common customer questions

Keep it manageable: Commit to adding 3-4 new questions every day for 10 days. This gets you ahead of competitors who aren't paying attention.

Format tip: Make questions short, clear, and direct. If you have buyer's guides or supplier materials, convert that information into question-and-answer format.

ACTION 2: Verify Product Categories

Shopify uses standardized product categories to help AI agents understand what you sell. Your product title, description, and category are what AI agents will use to find and present your products.

Why this matters: The category field is different from your product type (which you created yourself). Shopify's standardized categories were initially created for sales tax calculation, but now they're the foundation of how AI agents search and understand your products.

What's happening: Shopify AI has evolved. It now knows the difference between a bathroom vanity vs. bedroom vanity, single sink vs. double sink, and is getting more nuanced over time. When you see purple suggestions in your Shopify admin, that's Shopify AI offering to help categorize your products.

How to do it:

1. Go to any product in your Shopify admin

2. Scroll to the Category section

3. Look for the purple AI suggestion (if available)

4. Accept the suggestion or select the most accurate category yourself

5. OPTIONAL BUT HELPFUL: Fill in category metafields for additional details like: • Materials • Colors • Dimensions • Other product-specific attributes

6. Save your changes

WHAT AI AGENTS WILL SEE 

AI channels receive your:

• Product title

• Product description

• Category information

• Price

• Availability

• Images

Make sure this core information is accurate and complete.

YOU STAY IN CONTROL 

• Agentic Storefronts will be automatically enabled, but you can turn off individual AI channels anytime

•  You control which products appear in each channel 

• You remain the merchant of record with full ownership of customer relationships 

• Orders process through your standard Shopify checkout

QUESTIONS? 

This is new territory for all of us. Let's start a conversation. If you have questions about your specific store setup or need help with bulk editing, reach out to me in our FB community.

The future of e-commerce is here. Two simple actions will make sure your products show up when customers are ready to buy.