logo
Junior AI: How a 24-Hour Coding Dare Turned Into a Game-Changing Shopify Photo Editor

Junior AI: How a 24-Hour Coding Dare Turned Into a Game-Changing Shopify Photo Editor

Some businesses start with million-dollar funding rounds, massive offices, and fancy launch parties. Junior? Nah… it started with a cup of coffee, a laptop, and a crazy personal dare: 'Can I build a working AI photo editor in 24 hours?'
I'm not going to lie; it sounded insane. But in e-commerce, Shopify product images can literally make or break a sale. And most sellers? They don't have the time, budget, or patience to learn Photoshop. So yeah, the idea felt worth losing some sleep over.
Day one was pure chaos. No plan, no roadmap, just me and the keyboard. By the next morning, I had a working prototype a basic AI photo editing tool that could: Remove backgrounds cleanly (no more messy edges)
Upscale blurry images so they look sharp
Add quick AI photo filters for that extra pop
It wasn't perfect. In fact, it was a little ugly. But it worked . And honestly, in tech, working beats pretty much any day.
One month later, junior – mini ai tools wasn't just a half-baked experiment. It was live on the Shopify App Store, letting sellers do ecommerce image editing directly inside Shopify—no downloads, no complicated settings, no file juggling.
Look, there are a ton of online photo editors out there. Most of them try to do everything —from weird meme filters to overly complex AI prompts. Junior? It's laser-focused on what sellers actually need.
Think: AI Image Generator for creating extra product shots without hiring a photographer
for creating extra product shots without hiring a photographer AI Photo Enhancement to make images sharper and brighter instantly
to make images sharper and brighter instantly AI Background Remover that actually understands where your product ends and the background begins
that actually understands where your product ends and the background begins AI Image Restoration to bring old or damaged product photos back to life
to bring old or damaged product photos back to life AI Image Blending & Combination for creative campaigns or lifestyle shots
for creative campaigns or lifestyle shots Batch Editing so you can process hundreds of photos in one go
If you're selling online, your product image is your first impression.Bad lighting? Buyer clicks away.Messy background? You look unprofessional.
Low quality? They won't trust you enough to pay.
Junior fixes that fast. Even amateur photos can look like they were taken in a studio — all thanks to AI-powered enhancements and background cleanups.
We've had Shopify store owners who: Launched an entire seasonal collection in half the time because of batch editing
Revived old stock photos instead of paying for a new shoot
A/B tested product images made with AI generators and saw conversion rates jump
One guy even told me he started using Junior to create custom images for Instagram ads without touching Canva or Photoshop. That's the kind of 'off-label' use I love.
In e-commerce, time is money.
Junior's Shopify integration means you edit right where your products live — no exporting, no zip files, no nonsense. Upload → Pick an action → Done.
You can: Upscale resolution for marketplaces like Amazon
Create quick mockups for new products
Maintain consistent branding across every listing
Junior's not done. We're already working on: Faster AI processing speeds
Even cleaner background removal for tricky products (think jewelry or transparent bottles)
Direct integration with ad platforms so your edited images can go straight into campaigns
Basically — less clicking around, more selling. And if you want to follow updates or my thoughts on content creation tools, you can check my LinkedIn profile.
Junior didn't start as a 'startup idea.' It started as a fun challenge. That's why it's so seller-focused — every feature exists to actually solve a pain point.
From a one-day caffeine-fueled code sprint to a growing AI tool used by Shopify stores worldwide… it's proof that you don't need 6 months and a giant team to create something that changes the game.
Final thought? If you're still editing photos manually in 2025… you're wasting time you could be using to make sales. Let AI handle the boring work — from photo effects online to complete visual content creation — so you can focus on growing your business.
TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Quiet cracking' is the latest buzzword to hit the workplace
'Quiet cracking' is the latest buzzword to hit the workplace

Business Insider

time8 hours ago

  • Business Insider

'Quiet cracking' is the latest buzzword to hit the workplace

Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. Multi-thousand-dollar tabs. Endless emails. A three-figure chicken tender tower. Staff from The Surf Lodge, a popular Hamptons hot spot among young Wall Streeters, spoke to Business Insider about what it's like to work there — and what it's like to tell some powerful people "no." How one woman's Instagram became the obsession of dozens of swindled men. Get hot, do drugs, build a bunker: Meet the AI apocalypse super preppers. Silicon Valley's young founders are giving up alcohol to go "grind mode." Inside JPMorgan's new Manhattan headquarters — and its high-end perks. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here. This week's dispatch Forget quiet quitting Employees are " quiet cracking" — the silent struggle of feeling dissatisfied at work but unable to do much about it. It's not quite burnout, but it's the feeling that can lead to burnout. My colleagues Sarah Jackson and Henry Chandonnet have been following this trend closely in recent days. They've talked to workers who describe what it feels like and how they navigated it, including one person who said he actually experienced it 15 years ago. We also asked you if you had experienced "quiet cracking." More than 200 people responded to our survey, with the vast majority saying they had. You might think, if things are so bleak, why won't these workers just quit, move on, or get another job? In this economy, it's not so simple. Some people are just grateful to be employed, particularly as job growth is slowing and finding a job is so tough right now. Unhappy workers might also stay because they need the paycheck, or they worry that another job will be more of the same. Change can be scary and risky, so maintaining the status quo is often the easiest thing to do. The " Big Stay," those resisting the urge to quit, is also quite different from just a few years ago. Job switching was plentiful during the Great Resignation, when workers often had an upper hand with management. " Quiet quitting," or workers who were able to get by without taking their jobs too seriously, was a common refrain in 2022 and 2023. But now, "quiet cracking" is emblematic of bigger trends sweeping across corporate America. Companies are getting leaner, more efficient, and more hardcore about their operations. Layoffs are increasingly common across industries. As Business Insider's Aki Ito put it, workplace loyalty is dead. One survey respondent described his "quiet cracking" symptoms to us: "Huge lack of motivation, fatigue. Constant feeling of being unheard." Yet for all the "quiet cracking" out there, there's another side of the story that can't be ignored: at least these folks still have jobs. What do you think of quiet cracking? Are you suffering from it or know a colleague who is? Let me know what you think: srussolillo@ Are you my scammer? Over a dozen men around the world told BI they'd fallen victim to one specific scheme: They were sucked into online relationships with a woman who slowly convinced them to invest more and more into a fake asset, until they lost everything. Then, an apparent mistake by the scammer led the men to each other. Together, they found a real person who looked like the scammer — a climate change advocate with a large Instagram following. She was a victim, too. From AI to YOLO A growing number of Silicon Valley denizens believe AI is going to fundamentally transform society — and soon. It's pushed them to radically revamp their lives right now. The changes they've implemented range from getting divorced to spending their retirement savings and building doomsday bunkers. For some, it's driven by a belief that AI will soon unlock a new wave of human flourishing. For others, it's driven by the fear that an AI-driven apocalypse is imminent, and the little time left should be spent doing what really matters. The bucket list mentality. Going San Francisco-sober Drinking is declining nationally, and young people seem to be leading the charge. Still, in San Francisco, the (non) drinking culture is built different. Business Insider spoke to nine young founders in Silicon Valley, most of whom had given up alcohol or dramatically cut back. Some said they might still drink in New York but abstained in San Francisco, thanks to the city's "lock in" and "grind mode" culture. In some cases, they abstain because they want to signal dedication to that startup grind. " Your body's a temple." JPMorgan Chase's new HQ One of America's biggest banks is gearing up to open their new headquarters at 270 Park Avenue in Manhattan. While the exact move-in date is still unclear, the 60-story skyscraper is full of amenities and luxury perks. JPMorgan employees told BI that the bank has been posting updates on its intranet. The new headquarters will include a state-of-the-art gym — which employees have to pay a membership fee to access — an Irish pub, food hall, AI tech, and more. Take a look. What's on the menu at JPMorgan's new headquarters This week's quote: "We're accidentally training an entire generation to be workplace hermits." — Clinical health psychologist Laura Greve on workers developing unhealthy attachments to AI chatbots. More of this week's top reads: Exclusive: Microsoft is trying to poach Meta AI talent and offering multimillion-dollar pay packages, internal documents show. The new metric bosses are tracking: How often you use AI. US bankruptcies are surging past 2020 pandemic levels. The DIY cage armor in Ukraine keeps getting weirder, wilder — and more ' Mad Max.' The protein bros have won. The buzz around THC drinks is going flat. Government data is now in question. Here's where macro investors are turning to fill the gaps. Exclusive: AI startup Perplexity is raising more money at a $20 billion valuation. Welcome to Super City, USA.

Starbucks rival continues its US expansion
Starbucks rival continues its US expansion

Miami Herald

time16 hours ago

  • Miami Herald

Starbucks rival continues its US expansion

Whether you're a coffee lover or not, Starbucks is nearly impossible to ignore. With over 40,000 locations in 80 countries, it has become the most recognizable name in coffee worldwide; chances are, almost everyone has tried something from its menu at least once. However, Starbucks has experienced a noticeable decline in recent years. Sales are down, store traffic has slowed, and concerns about the company's long-term growth have prompted a major turnaround strategy to revive its business. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter While Starbucks still dominates the market, smaller chains like Dutch Bros (BROS) , Scooter's Coffee, and 7 Brew Coffee have been gaining traction, steadily growing their customer bases. Now, Starbucks faces perhaps its most significant challenge yet. A powerful international rival has entered the U.S. market, threatening its position as a coffee leader. Related: Starbucks faces huge new rival Founded in 2017 in Beijing, Luckin Coffee (LKNCY) entered the coffee scene 46 years after Starbucks (SBUX) launched, and has already surpassed expectations. With over 22,000 stores, it's now the largest coffee chain in China, overshadowing Starbucks in that market. Although relatively unknown to Americans, Luckin Coffee immediately caught people's attention when it opened its first stores in New York City on June 30. It debuted two locations, one at 55 Broadway and another at 800 6th Ave., introducing its blue-and-white deer logo to the U.S. Image source:Luckin Coffee is known for its high-quality coffee and wide range of menu options at affordable prices. However, due to economic and currency differences, prices at its U.S. locations are understandably higher than in Asia. Starbucks has faced backlash over the last few months for raising its prices. In response to criticism, it simplified its menu and eliminated extra charges, a timely move that coincides with its rival's arrival in the U.S. Related: Starbucks' huge new rival opens first US stores When comparing their menus, Luckin Coffee clearly acknowledges Starbucks as a competitor. Both chains carry handcrafted coffee beverages, frappes, matcha drinks, and refreshers. Their prices are also very similar, with a 16-ounce drip coffee costing $3.45. And so far, U.S. consumers seem intrigued to give Luckin Coffee a chance. During its opening week, lines were out the door, with many people eager to try the new coffee shop in town. Keeping the momentum, Luckin Coffee has wasted no time expanding into the U.S. In a recent Instagram post, the company teased the grand opening of its third location in New York City, hinting that the new store will be "steps away from Columbus Circle" and asking people to guess the exact location. This sparked a wave of fans quickly flooding the comments section, with many commenting "901 8th Ave." More Food News: After bankruptcy, Starbucks rival plans aggressive expansionPizza Hut menu adds a completely new type of pizzaHershey teams up with Costco to make a dream candy combo The Chinese coffee chain also posted a picture to its Instagram story revealing the outside of the new coffee shop, which appears completed. Although Luckin Coffee has yet to provide an official date for the grand opening of its new location, it claims it will be opening very soon. To promote it, Luckin Coffee launched a scavenger hunt that will end on August 18 and allows participants to win prizes and free drinks. This suggests that the third store could open on Monday Aug. 18. Related: Starbucks plans major change to how it adds new menu items The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.

This Growth Stock Is Up 100% in the Last Year, but Still Down 15% From All-Time Highs: Should You Buy Today?
This Growth Stock Is Up 100% in the Last Year, but Still Down 15% From All-Time Highs: Should You Buy Today?

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

This Growth Stock Is Up 100% in the Last Year, but Still Down 15% From All-Time Highs: Should You Buy Today?

Key Points Shopify is growing quickly as it expands its commerce tools around the globe. It keeps adding new tools for customers, such as cryptocurrency payments and artificial intelligence (AI). Even though the business is great, the stock trades at an expensive valuation. 10 stocks we like better than Shopify › Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP) is still in the middle of its 2021 hangover, as shares are down 15% from all-time highs set during the COVID-19 pandemic stock market bubble. The stock is up over 100% in the last 12 months, but still has not eclipsed previous highs after going through a brutal drawdown in 2022. At the same time, business performance has been rock-solid if not stellar, as management keeps adding new commerce tools and attracting new businesses to join the platform. With Shopify stock still down from all-time highs, should you buy shares in 2025 for your portfolio? Here's what the numbers say. Steady global expansion As a software and payments provider for online businesses, Shopify has grown to dominate the North American market. Now, it is moving internationally. Last quarter, growth in payments volume for its European division was 42%, outpacing overall growth. The company has built up a best-in-class set of tools for entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes to sell and process payments online. Last quarter, even Starbucks signed a deal with Shopify, which shows the capabilities of the platform for online shopping. Overall revenue grew 31% year over year in the quarter, with strong growth expected for the rest of the year. Profit margins remain strong, with free cash flow margins of 16% in the quarter. This combination of growth and profitability is impressive and the key reason why Shopify's stock has soared in the last 12 months. As more and more businesses sign up for Shopify's software tools and payment processing, the more growth Shopify will achieve. Add new features such as advertising and the Shop Pay application for consumers, and it looks like growth will continue for many years into the future. AI, crypto, and new products Shopify is embracing new technologies as a way to leverage more usage from its business customers. It now has two artificial intelligence (AI) services called Sidekick and Magic that help analyze trends for a business, create content, and marketing products. Providing more value for enterprises will help customers stay entrenched within the Shopify ecosystem, leading to revenue growth and pricing power. What's more, Shopify is now beginning to expand and accept more forms of payment, such as Circle's stablecoin USDC. This should help with cross-border transactions and make it easier for shoppers who want to pay in different ways on Shopify's e-commerce storefronts. It will not only help drive new payment growth (which directly translates to revenue for Shopify), but also adoption of shopping across borders. On the whole, Shopify is building a huge ecosystem of products for businesses trying to sell things online. Its breadth of tools is unmatched in the software world, which is why so many commerce companies are signing deals with them. Expect this growth to continue for many years, as long as product innovation remains top tier. Should you buy Shopify stock? Shopify is a fast-growing business, but that does not necessarily make the stock a buy. Total revenue was $10 billion over the last 12 months. Revenue growth is expected to be over 20% for the rest of 2025. At the same time, 20%-plus growth cannot continue forever, no matter what company you are. On a long-enough timeline, a growth rate significantly above global economic growth would mean absorbing the entire global economy, which is not going to happen (no matter how good Shopify's commerce tools are). Revenue growth will be strong for many years, but it will eventually slow for Shopify. If Shopify's revenue grows at an average rate of 15% for the next five years, it will reach $20 billion in revenue by 2030. With a gross profit margin of 50%, I believe that Shopify can achieve a 20% net income margin once the business matures. This would turn $20 billion in revenue into $4 billion in annual net earnings five years from now. Today, Shopify has a market cap of $187 billion, which would give the stock a forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 47 based on these earnings growth projections. Despite how good of a business it is, this nosebleed P/E ratio means investors should avoid Shopify stock after its recent 100% run over the last 12 months. Should you invest $1,000 in Shopify right now? Before you buy stock in Shopify, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Shopify wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $668,155!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,106,071!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,070% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 184% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 13, 2025 Brett Schafer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Shopify and Starbucks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This Growth Stock Is Up 100% in the Last Year, but Still Down 15% From All-Time Highs: Should You Buy Today? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store