Shopify President Harley Finkelstein believes artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era of small business creation, telling CNBC’s “Mad Money” that a new entrepreneur makes their first sale on the platform roughly every 26 seconds.
AI Traffic Triples for Small Sellers
According to Finkelstein, traffic and orders directed to Shopify stores from AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini have tripled over the past year. Notably, this growth isn’t concentrated among major retailers — three-quarters of AI-driven purchases last quarter went to product categories outside the top 100, suggesting smaller, independent sellers are capturing a significant share of this new demand.
Finkelstein framed the shift in bold terms, describing AI as accelerating entrepreneurial activity and positioning Shopify as a key enabler of what he called a coming “golden age” for business founders.
Sidekick Assistant Boosts Early Sales
Finkelstein also highlighted Sidekick, Shopify’s built-in AI assistant, which handled 34 million merchant conversations last quarter alone. He noted that sellers who adopt the tool early in their business journey tend to reach their first five sales more quickly — a milestone he considers critical for a new venture’s survival.
The commentary came alongside strong market reaction to Shopify’s latest earnings report: the company’s shares climbed 17% following the announcement, though the stock remains down 8% for the year overall.
Finkelstein’s remarks reflect a broader trend in e-commerce, where AI-powered shopping assistants and chatbots are increasingly directing consumer traffic — and dollars — toward niche and independent merchants rather than established, large-scale brands.