Amazon introduces text-based shopping feature for Alexa following block of muse

Amazon is expanding user interaction with its AI agent by introducing a feature allowing customers to shop on the platform via text messages. This development follows Amazon's decision in September to prevent Meta's Muse from querying its website. The rollout is timed just ahead of the holiday shopping season. Select U.S. customers will receive an invitation to enable this capability, which permits users to conduct actions like searching, adding items to carts, and purchasing using natural language queries. This text agent enhances existing Alexa functions, enabling users to manage lists, track prices, compare products, and even search for similar items by sharing a picture. The company noted that Alexa will evolve to learn user preferences and offer personalized suggestions over time. While the feature is being rolled out gradually in the coming weeks, users who do not receive an invitation can join a waitlist. This move places Amazon in the growing market of consumer-focused AI agents, mirroring moves by competitors; for instance, DoorDash recently announced plans to focus on developing its own text-based agent after third-party agents had placed only hundreds of orders on its platform in September.