There’s a New Way to Shop With AI. Text Alexa

Alexa for Shopping is a personal AI agent that lets you shop, compare and buy items from Amazon. It’s been available via the app and website. Amazon announced today that you can now do all of that and more from a text thread. Amazon says it can order your weekly groceries or look at a recipe and add the items to your cart, and it can search for deals and send a text when there’s a price drop. You can also reorder items you previously bought and get delivery updates. The new text feature of Alexa for Shopping can also update your regular grocery lists and let you personalize your orders. For example, you can tell Alexa to shop only for organic options. And if you’re satisfied, you can text Alexa to reorder the items and even set up a weekly grocery order. You can also compare products and check the price history to make sure you’re getting the best deal. It has a few other nifty features to find new products. For instance, you can use Shop Direct, Amazon’s shopping feature, to browse and buy products from external websites. Amazon’s announcement says Alexa will buy with your approval. But AI can be tricky sometimes, so make sure it’s following your instructions. You should also be careful when giving any AI product your personal information, like your delivery address, banking details, personal data and preferences. As for what happens if you need to cancel an order, add to an order or get a refund? A representative for Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Alexa for Shopping isn’t the only AI agent vying for your attention. Meta Muse and Google Universal Cart are just a couple of the other AI-powered products that can shop, track prices and buy on your behalf. Alexa for Shopping is available to a small group in the US starting Friday via a text invitation. Amazon says it will become more widely available in the coming months. You can also sign up online to stay up to date. Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic shifts and everyday challenges to help readers make well-informed decisions, and she covers a range of topics, including technology, security, energy and money. Dashia graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She loves baking, teaching spinning and spending time with her family. See full bio