Amazon is expanding its approach to artificial intelligence interaction by introducing a new capability that lets shoppers converse with its assistant through text messages. The company announced on Friday the rollout of a messaging feature designed to assist customers with shopping tasks, mirroring functionalities found in other AI assistants like Muse or Instinct.
Context Behind the Block and Timing
This development follows a previous decision where Amazon blocked Meta's Muse from querying its site in September. The retail giant is introducing these messaging tools right before the onset of the crucial holiday shopping season.
Capabilities of the New Text Agent
According to the e-commerce corporation, select U.S. customers will receive an invitation text prompting them to enable the shopping integration. Approved users can text Alexa to execute natural language shopping tasks, ranging from item searches and cart additions to final purchases.
Expanded List Management and Visual Search
The messaging agent builds directly upon recent upgrades to Alexa focused on shopping management, allowing consumers to handle lists, track prices, search the web, compare products, and monitor order statuses. Furthermore, users can upload a photograph of an item or an outfit to discover matching products on Amazon. Over time, the company notes, the assistant will learn individual user preferences to deliver tailored recommendations.
Availability and Broader Industry Trends
Customers who do not receive an initial invite can sign up for a waitlist, with broader availability scheduled for the coming weeks. As consumer AI tools expand across the market, platforms are increasingly developing proprietary systems. Last month, DoorDash reported receiving only several hundred orders from third-party AI agents, prompting it to focus resources on developing its own text-based ordering agent launched in September.
