Amazon launches AWS AI shopping assistant for retailers

Amazon is making the artificial intelligence technology behind its own shopping assistant available to other retailers, a move that expands its role in the competitive market for AI-powered commerce tools. The company announced the new service, called the AWS Agentic Shopping Assistant, on Wednesday.

The offering allows retailers to build customized AI shopping assistants for their own websites and apps using the foundational technology that powers Amazon's recently rebranded Alexa for Shopping experience. According to Amazon, the service packages together architecture guidance, starter code, and support based on its internal systems, enabling retailers to launch a functional AI assistant in approximately 60 days rather than the years it might take to develop one independently.

The luxury brand Kate Spade, owned by Tapestry, is the first publicly announced customer, having used the technology to launch an AI-powered gifting concierge on its website. Amazon stated that additional retailers are currently testing the platform.

This initiative represents a strategic expansion for Amazon Web Services, the company's cloud computing division, following a long-standing pattern of...