Amazon rolls out text-based Alexa shopping agent

On November 6, 2026, Amazon launched a text-based shopping feature for Alexa for Shopping in the U.S., allowing select users to search, compare, and buy products via text messages and photo uploads. The rollout follows Amazon's September 2026 decision to block Meta's Muse AI agent and ongoing legal battles over Perplexity's Comet agent, reflecting an expanding industry trend towards text-based AI interaction alongside competitors like OpenAI and DoorDash.

Amazon launches Alexa text shopping feature

• ▪Amazon introduced an Alexa for Shopping text feature for invited U.S. customers to search, compare, and purchase products
• ▪The Alexa for Shopping text feature enables users to submit text descriptions or photographs of items to search listings, receive recommendations, and place orders on Amazon
• ▪Amazon stated that Alexa for Shopping remembers personal user preferences over time, such as dietary requirements, and tracks price drops to alert users when monitored items go on sale