Amazon is offering its AI shopping tools to retailers: What it means for users

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a new AI solution for its retailers. The e-commerce giant will now allow its retailers to build their own conversational shopping assistants using technology inspired by Amazon’s Alexa for Shopping. Agentic Shopping Assistant (ASA) on AWS will offer package architecture, starter code, and deployment support, enabling retailers to create AI-powered shopping experiences tailored to their products, customers, and brand identity.The move expands access to technology that Amazon says contributed to nearly $12 billion in incremental sales last year through its AI shopping assistant. According to the company, more than 300 million customers used Amazon’s AI shopping tools over the same period. For users, the shift could mean more personalised shopping experiences directly on retailer platforms, with AI assistants designed around specific product categories rather than relying on general-purpose chatbots.ASA on AWS is based on the same underlying principles as Alexa for Shopping, but is customised for each retailer’s catalogue, customer base, and business requirements.The AI assistants can engage customers in conversational shopping, answer product-related questions and recommend items based on preferences or shopping intent. According to AWS, retailers can deploy these systems in weeks rather than spending years building similar tools from scratch.Amazon said conversational shopping sessions convert at 3.5 times the rate of traditional keyword search, highlighting increasing consumer interaction with AI-based recommendations.For users, AI shopping assistants may change how they discover products online. Instead of manually filtering through listings or entering keywords, shoppers could describe needs in natural language and receive curated suggestions.For example, a customer looking for a gift may receive recommendations based on occasion, preferences or budget through conversation rather than traditional search.The experience may also become more retailer-specific, with brands using their own customer data and expertise to personalise responses.However, the effectiveness of these systems could vary depending on how individual retailers implement AI and manage customer information.Fashion brand Kate Spade has already used ASA on AWS to launch an AI shopping assistant called the AI Gift Concierge. The assistant was developed to help users find gift recommendations through conversations around recipient preferences and occasions.The system reportedly underwent around 2.5 months of testing before being launched to customers.“We are excited about the possibilities agentic commerce can bring to our customers. AWS brought the recipe, but together we built the customisation our consumers needed,” said Yang Lu, chief information and digital officer at Tapestry.AWS argued that retailers may need dedicated AI shopping systems as AI increasingly becomes part of purchasing decisions. The company said retailers already possess detailed knowledge of products and customer behaviour that broader AI systems may not replicate accurately.ASA on AWS is built using services including Amazon Bedrock, AgentCore and OpenSearch, with Amazon stating that the technology has been tested through years of use within its own shopping ecosystem. The company added that deployments can be customised, allowing retailers to retain control over customer relationships, brand identity, and proprietary insights.