TORONTO. May 27, 2026 — As Shopify Inc. (SHOP) doubles down on its use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) — leveraging generative AI and agentic commerce tools — investors are calling for a policy to govern the company’s use of this transformative technology.
SHARE, on behalf of The Pension Plan of The United Church of Canada, has filed a shareholder proposal urging Shopify to adopt a policy on the use of AI in its business and operations, ahead of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) on June 16.
In supplementary materials for shareholders, SHARE outlines why a formal, enterprise-wide policy remains necessary to strengthen accountability and manage risk. If Shopify continues to scale the use of generative and agentic AI across its platform and offers AI solutions to merchants without sufficient oversight, investors could be exposed to significant AI-related risks, including those related to human rights.
“As AI use becomes entrenched in Shopify’s business and operations, shareholders need more than assurances that the company is using the technology responsibly,” said Juana Lee, Associate Director, Corporate Engagement at SHARE. “Ensuring the company has an enterprise-wide policy that provides shareholders with clarity on Shopify’s risk-management and governance controls — and sets clear expectations for responsible conduct among third-party AI providers — is an indispensable part of protecting long-term shareholder value.”
SHARE argues that Shopify’s current disclosures, policies and practices do not provide sufficient clarity on:
- How the company’s use of AI aligns with internationally recognized responsible AI standards
- How AI-related risks, including risks tied to misinformation, fraud and privacy, are identified and managed
- The effectiveness of governance and oversight processes as AI deployment accelerates
Shopify is also lagging behind several industry peers, including eBay, Adobe, Salesforce, SAP, and ServiceNow, all of which have publicly available responsible AI policies and frameworks.
SHARE encourages Shopify investors to support the proposal at the upcoming AGM to ensure the company adopts a clear, principles-based approach to responsible AI that supports transparency and protects long-term shareholder value.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Adam Burns, Manager, Communications at SHARE: aburns@share.ca.
