Amazon has launched a new feature allowing select U.S. customers to chat with its Alexa AI agent via text messages to assist with shopping. Rolling out just ahead of the holiday shopping season, the tool lets users utilize natural language queries to search for items, add products to carts, and complete purchases directly through text.
The text-based agent expands upon recent shopping-focused upgrades to Alexa by enabling users to manage lists, track prices, search the web, compare products, and check order statuses. Customers can also upload photos of items or outfits to find similar listings. Amazon stated that the agent will learn user preferences over time to offer tailored suggestions, with a waitlist available for those not in the initial rollout.
This development follows Amazon blocking Meta’s Muse from its site in September as e-commerce platforms increasingly build proprietary AI agents to capture the growing consumer market. This feature matters because it positions Amazon to directly control conversational AI shopping experiences as texting emerges as a primary mode of interaction for consumers.