Amazon is launching a feature that lets customers chat with its Alexa AI agent over text messages to shop on Amazon, the company said on Friday. Select US customers will receive a text inviting them to enable the feature, and those without an invite can join a waitlist. Amazon says the rollout will reach millions of users in the coming weeks, timed just before the holiday shopping season.
The move puts Amazon directly into the growing market for consumer AI agents that you talk to by texting, alongside tools like Muse and Instinct. It also follows Amazon's decision in September to block Meta's Muse from querying its site, a sign that the e-commerce giant wants to keep AI-driven shopping inside its own walls.
What the Alexa text shopping feature does
According to Amazon, the new text agent builds on recent shopping-focused upgrades to Alexa. You can ask for a weekly grocery order, search for a gift, or tell the AI you need a quick re-order of something you're running low on, using everyday language rather than menus or filters.
Alexa also responds to photo attachments, scanning the store for matches and messaging back with suggestions. It can add approved items to your cart and complete the order for you, and Amazon says the AI will offer better recommendations over time as it learns your shopping habits and tastes.
To join the early test, users need to sign up and link their phone number. If accepted, they will see "Alexa Shopping" in their contacts. The feature is initially invite-only in the United States.
- Text in natural language to search for items, add them to cart and purchase.
- Manage lists and set price alerts, including pricing history for up to a full year.
