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Could OpenAI turn ChatGPT into a shopping hub? The company is reportedly partnering with Shopify in an effort similar to other genAI shopping efforts by Perplexity and Microsoft.

Shopify is on an AI acquisition spree: The company鈥檚 latest purchase, Vantage Discovery, will enable it to offer brands genAI-powered search capabilities and improved product discovery.

Recently, Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke asked employees requesting more resources to prove they 鈥渃annot get what they want done using AI,鈥� according to a memo posted to X. The directive reflects a wave of anxiety among workers that AI will eliminate potential jobs鈥攐r their current ones.

Its impressive growth gives Shopify a volume and cross-sell boost

The buy button has been on a growth tear since Shopify opened it up to enterprise customers outside of its ecosystem

Duolingo will only hire more employees if teams can鈥檛 automate the work needed鈥攁 move also made by Shopify. AI experience will be considered in the hiring process and use of AI at work will be evaluated during performance reviews. One of the most likely areas for contractor cuts is coding.

Shopify is seeing post-pandemic growth. After slowing to 10.5% YoY growth in 2024, Shopify is rebounding with investments in B2B automation, tax optimization, and AI-powered tools. Sales are expected to grow an average 11.9% YoY from 2024 through 2026, reaching $19.10 billion by 2026. BigCommerce is a solid competitor.

For example, Affirm expanded its tie-up with Shopify in the UK and Canada, and Klarna partnered with Worldpay, JPMorgan Payments, and Adobe Commerce. Both firms have also partnered with Apple Pay and Google Pay. But individual partnerships are still important if BNPL players want to reach larger merchants like Stitch Fix.

Shopify, Wix, and GoDaddy have rolled out POS systems that incorporate hardware, software, and customizable features to enable selling across a range of physical channels.

Our take: Some companies, like Shopify, are already limiting new hires if the job can be done with AI. While those policies will eliminate some jobs, humans will still be needed to oversee AI to ensure it doesn鈥檛 go off the rails, as it鈥檚 wont to do. We expect AI-centric job postings to continue rising as more companies lean into the tech.

Common side hustles include freelance design, social media management, and e-commerce on platforms such as Etsy and Shopify. Invest: This generation leverages digital platforms like Robinhood to invest their money. They鈥檙e also interested in alternative investments such as private equity, commodities, and real estate.

CRO Wayne Pommen called the Walmart tie-up one of Affirm鈥檚 鈥渃rown jewel partnerships,鈥� along with its Amazon, Shopify, and Target deals. Affirm鈥檚 stock price tumbled from the news, falling from about $50 a share when the market closed on Friday, March 14, to $43.70 when the market closed on March 18, dragging its market cap down to $13.98 billion, per Yahoo Finance.

Affirm will soon begin testing with Shopify in the UK, its first enterprise partner in the market. The BNPL provider also expanded into medications for the first time through a partnership with GoodRx. Our take: BNPL players operate in a low-margin industry and have historically struggled with long-term profitability. But CEO Max Levchin expects profitability will be a 鈥渘ew normal鈥� for Affirm.

Shopify leverages ChatGPT for merchant content creation. SoftBank鈥檚 $3 billion annual investment in OpenAI aims to embed the latter鈥檚 tools into Arm, PayPal, and other enterprises. Cashing in on its first-mover advantage: Collaborations with Microsoft, SoftBank, and federal agencies can help embed ChatGPT into critical infrastructure, which could help it become the industry standard.

According to data cited by Shopify, 69% of customers trust influencer recommendations over traditional ads. This has prompted brands to invest in authentic, creator-led marketing. Q: With impulse buying rising, how can retail and ecommerce brands fine-tune their strategies to capture spontaneous purchases while building lasting customer relationships?

Shopify. Squarespace. Wix. Yahoo!

Brands running loyalty programs have reported an increase in customer lifetime value, average order value, and customer retention, per a November 2024 Censuswide/LoyaltyLion survey of brands using Shopify in the UK, US, and Canada. But the loyalty space is crowded.