Amazon rolls out text messaging feature for AI-powered Alexa shopping assistant in the US

Amazon announced on Friday that US customers will be able to use Alexa for Shopping, its artificial intelligence-powered shopping assistant, to search for products and make purchases through text messages.

According to the company, the new text feature enables users to research and compare products, track deals and price drops, and have Alexa for Shopping complete purchases on their behalf.

The feature is currently rolling out to a small group of invited US customers ahead of a broader launch planned for the coming weeks, Amazon stated.

This rollout follows Amazon's recent actions regarding third-party artificial intelligence tools on its platform. The company previously blocked Meta's AI shopping agent, Muse, from accessing its marketplace. Amazon stated at the time that the tool appeared to access its online store without authorization and store customer credentials.

Additionally, Amazon secured a court order in March blocking Perplexity's shopping agent, Comet. However, a US appeals court overturned that ban in August, and the legal case remains ongoing.

"Amazon's rollout of text-based AI shopping highlights how major platforms are trying to meet consumers where they spend their time messaging. By integrating shopping assistants directly into text channels, companies can reduce friction in the purchasing journey. At the same time, Amazon's legal and technical moves to restrict unauthorized third-party AI agents show that control over marketplace access and customer credentials remains a critical priority as conversational commerce evolves." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes