Shopify tested SimGym, a first-party app available in AI Research Preview that sends AI-powered simulated shoppers through a merchant's storefront to evaluate how theme changes might affect buyer behavior before any real customers see them.

Announced as part of the Winter '26 Edition in December 2025 and made available to eligible merchants on the Shopify App Store in March 2026, SimGym creates AI shoppers trained on billions of real transactions across the Shopify platform. These simulated shoppers browse the store, navigate collections, add items to their cart, and provide qualitative feedback. Merchants receive a report covering add-to-cart rates, navigation friction, and directional theme performance comparisons. The app operates on a pay-per-simulation credit model and requires Shopify Network Intelligence to be enabled. It was developed in collaboration with NVIDIA and runs on a large language model. Liquid storefronts only are supported; Hydrogen and headless storefronts are not.