Amazon has launched a new Alexa for Shopping feature that lets users text the AI assistant to place orders, request reorders, or search for gifts, including by sending photos for product matches. The feature is currently available to select US customers who sign up, with a broader rollout planned in coming weeks. Alexa can also track pricing history, set sale alerts, and report delivery status via text, with requests syncing to the Amazon Shopping app and website.
engadget.com
· 2026-11-06
Amazon announced a new feature letting select U.S. customers text its Alexa AI assistant to search for products, add items to cart, compare prices, check order status and complete purchases using natural language. Customers can also send photos of items or outfits to find similar products, and Amazon says Alexa will learn preferences over time to suggest items. Access is currently limited, with others able to join a waitlist ahead of a broader rollout in coming weeks.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-11-06
Amazon is expanding Alexa for Shopping with a texting feature that lets users describe or photograph items they want to buy, after which Alexa searches Amazon listings, replies with recommendations, and can place the order. The feature, which appears as a contact called 'Amazon Alexa' in a phone's messages, began rolling out to a small group of US customers today and will reach more users in coming weeks.
theverge.com
· 2026-11-06
Amazon has expanded its Alexa for Shopping AI assistant with new capabilities to create, edit and move items between shopping lists and gift registries, such as wedding registries. The update also lets users adjust delivery instructions, get answers on billing issues like unrecognized charges and refunds, and manage recurring deliveries. The features are rolling out now to customers in the US.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-29
TheRealReal, a secondhand luxury goods marketplace, is reported to have joined a growing list of online retailers restricting access for third-party AI shopping agents. These agents act on behalf of consumers to browse and purchase goods automatically across websites.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-10-27
A CNET writer used Meta's AI assistant Muse to automatically search Facebook Marketplace for an ottoman, air purifier and humidifier within set price ranges and locations. Instead of a one-time search, Muse set up a recurring task that rescans listings every four hours and surfaces matching items, including a specific air purifier brand the writer wanted.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-26
During Meta's Q3 earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg said more than 10 million engaged users of Meta's Muse AI agent exist, with over 25% using it for shopping at an average purchase of over $200. He said payments partner Plaid reported unprecedented transaction activity, prompting Meta to work with Stripe to raise credit limits to handle demand.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-22
A YouGov survey found that the share of US Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers planning to use AI tools this season has risen to 34%, up from 16% a year earlier. Despite that growth, 40% of US adults say they won't consider AI for holiday shopping, and most of those who do use it rely on it for product research rather than letting it complete purchases.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-09
TikTok announced the launch of an AI-powered shopping assistant and a new in-app checkout feature that enables users to purchase products directly from brands within the app. The AI assistant offers real-time guidance by understanding user preferences and providing product details, while the checkout feature allows seamless transactions from the For You feed. These updates aim to keep users engaged within TikTok’s ecosystem for shopping activities.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-05
As AI shopping agents emerge, retailers are responding in different ways: QVC is opening its platform to them, Kate Spade allows agents to browse but not complete purchases, and Amazon is blocking them outright.
wsj.com
· 2026-10-02
Ron Johnson, who built Apple's retail store network starting in 2000, says he doesn't believe AI shopping agents will fundamentally change how people buy products. He argues that for significant purchases like laptops, consumers still want to physically handle items rather than let an AI complete the transaction, even as companies like Google and OpenAI push tools that let agents research, compare, and buy on a shopper's behalf.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-21
A group of U.S. senators has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether shopping bots and AI systems used by Walmart and Amazon are misrepresenting products as 'Made in America.' The request comes alongside other regulatory shifts, including a U.S. regulator giving tokenized stocks initial approval and credit card firms building AI agents to handle consumer purchases on shoppers' behalf.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-18
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