Amazon pushes its own Alexa shopper as outside AI agents rise

Amazon is betting that shoppers who use an AI helper on its site will use Alexa for Shopping, not an outside one. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, Nov. 1, that AI agents, which are programs that shop for you, could threaten Amazon's place as the first stop for online shopping.

What changed

If an agent such as Meta's Muse finds and buys products, a person no longer browses the store. That also means they no longer see the ads Amazon sells to brands. Amazon blocked Muse from shopping on its site. Walmart and Shopify went the other way and welcomed shopping agents.

Some observers say the block could leave Amazon exposed as more people use agents. Investor Paul Graham wrote on X on Oct. 7 that the ban is "the first opportunity I've seen since Amazon was founded for a startup to create an Amazon competitor."

Amazon's answer

CEO Andy Jassy played down the threat on an Oct. 29 earnings call. He said few consumers use agents to shop and that the experience is not great. He said Alexa for Shopping "is going to be the primary shopping agent customers use to shop Amazon."

The same day, Amazon said Alexa for Shopping can now handle more than 100 new actions. Examples include creating, adding to and editing grocery lists and baby registries. The Journal's report also noted that Amazon has been expanding Shop Direct, which lists products from brands that do not sell on Amazon. The aim is to keep shoppers on its site.

What the numbers show

A PYMNTS Intelligence report found that research has started to move away from Amazon, but buying has not. Amazon gets 29% of research starts and 49% of main purchase completion. It gets 59% of the most recent AI-assisted purchase. The report credits competitive pricing, delivery and return policies.

Who it affects

• Shoppers may soon choose between a store's own assistant and an outside agent.
• Sellers could see sales shaped by which agents a store allows.
• Advertisers lose reach if agents replace human browsing.

What is not known yet

The material does not say how many people use shopping agents today. It also does not say whether Amazon will keep Muse blocked or whether shoppers will prefer outside agents once they try them.