Amazon Tests AI-Powered Shopping Agent to Buy from Third-Party Stores

Amazon has introduced a new AI-powered shopping assistant called ‘Buy for Me,’ currently in a testing phase with select users. This feature allows users to purchase products from third-party websites without leaving the Amazon Shopping app. If a product is unavailable on Amazon, the AI agent will browse external retailers, select the requested item, and autofill user details, such as name, shipping address, and payment information. The system is powered by Amazon’s Nova AI models, including Nova Act, alongside Anthropic’s Claude. Unlike competitors like OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity, Amazon’s AI handles payments by encrypting and submitting billing details on behalf of the user. However, concerns remain about trust, given AI’s potential for errors and the lack of user control over purchases. Additionally, returning or exchanging items must be done through the original retailer rather than Amazon. The launch of this feature positions Amazon to expand its dominance in e-commerce by facilitating purchases beyond its own platform. Whether users will embrace this hands-off shopping experience remains to be seen.