Amazon expects Alexa for Shopping to lead purchases through AI agents
Amazon says more than 400 million customers used its shopping assistant over the past 12 months, while outside agents remain a small channel.
Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy expects Alexa for Shopping to become the leading AI agent for purchases on Amazon, he told analysts during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. He said few customers currently shop through outside agents because those services offer little advantage over buying directly from retailers.
According to Amazon’s results, Alexa for Shopping served more than 400 million customers over the past 12 months, with interactions rising 570% from a year earlier. Jassy said US users spent 50% more on each order than customers who did not use the assistant.
Jassy said Amazon anticipates working with general-purpose agents that operate across retailers. He nevertheless argued that its own assistant benefits from already knowing customers’ purchase histories, shipping addresses and payment details.
Amazon said it has introduced more than 100 capabilities for the assistant. US customers can manage shopping lists and gift registries, revise delivery instructions, ask about refunds and charges, and adjust recurring deliveries.
The comments followed Amazon’s blocking of Meta’s Muse agent roughly a month before the call. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said more than 10 million people across the US and Canada had set up Muse, with shopping its most frequent use. Its retail partners include Shopify, Walmart and Best Buy.
