Amazon’s new AI tool “Interests” promises to learn what products you like, raising questions about how much data tech giants really need to “personalize” your shopping experience.
Quick Takes
- Amazon has launched “Interests,” an AI-powered shopping tool available in beta to select U.S. customers that translates conversational language into personalized product recommendations.
- The feature uses large language models to understand everyday speech and monitors Amazon’s inventory to alert users about new items, restocks, and deals matching their preferences.
- This rollout is part of Amazon’s broader AI strategy that includes Rufus (shopping assistant), Health AI (wellness information), and business tools like Q chatbot for cloud customers.
- Amazon plans to expand access to the Interests feature to all U.S. customers in the coming months as it collects user feedback.
- The e-commerce giant generated $638 billion in net sales in 2024, an 11% increase from the previous year, with AI innovations likely driving further growth.
How “Interests” Works to Personalize Your Shopping
Amazon’s latest AI innovation invites customers to simply describe what they’re looking for in natural language. Located in the “Me” tab of the Amazon Shopping app, the Interests tool translates everyday speech into sophisticated search queries that traditional search engines can process. This means shoppers can type queries like “coffee brewing gadgets” or “latest pickleball accessories” and receive highly relevant recommendations rather than sifting through thousands of search results. The technology continuously scans Amazon’s massive product inventory and provides updates about newly available products, restocks, and special deals that match the user’s specific preferences.
The tool is currently available only to a select subset of U.S. customers through the Amazon Shopping app on iOS and Android devices, as well as the mobile website. This controlled rollout allows Amazon to gather valuable feedback before making the feature available to all U.S. shoppers in the next few months. The Interests feature builds upon Amazon’s existing AI tools like Rufus (the company’s AI shopping assistant) and AI Shopping Guides, which provide more conversational and intuitive ways to discover products on the platform.
Amazon’s Growing AI Ecosystem
The launch of Interests is just one component of Amazon’s aggressive push into artificial intelligence across its entire business. CEO Andy Jassy has emphasized that AI development is happening “all over our retail business and all the businesses in which we’re in.” According to company reports, Amazon has approximately 1,000 generative AI applications currently in development across its various divisions. These initiatives span retail, cloud computing, devices, and healthcare, creating an interconnected ecosystem of AI-powered services.
“If there’s a health-related question, Alexa+ is going to maybe call on Health AI. If there’s a product-related question, Alexa+ can call on Rufus.” – Andrew Bell
Alongside Interests, Amazon is testing Health AI, which provides health and wellness information without offering personalized medical advice. Some Health AI responses carry a “clinically verified” badge to indicate they’ve been reviewed by licensed medical professionals. This feature connects with Amazon’s online pharmacy and One Medical, the primary care provider Amazon acquired. On the business side, Amazon Web Services offers Q, a business chatbot for cloud customers, while the company’s popular virtual assistant is being upgraded to Alexa+ with enhanced generative AI capabilities.
Financial Impact and Market Competition
Amazon’s investment in AI technology appears to be paying dividends. In 2024, the company reported $638 billion in net sales, representing an 11% increase from the previous year, with a net income of $59.2 billion. As of the latest financial reporting, Amazon’s market capitalization stood at approximately $2.13 trillion, cementing its position as one of the world’s most valuable companies. The integration of AI into its shopping experience likely contributes to customer retention and increased purchases, as these tools make discovering and buying products more intuitive and efficient.
“Interests leverages large language models (LLMs) to convert everyday language into queries that traditional search engines can understand, resulting in more relevant product suggestions.” – Amazon
Amazon isn’t alone in enhancing shopping experiences with AI. Competitors like Google have developed similar tools, including “Vision Match” for visual product searches and AI summary tools that condense product information. Walmart and Target have also introduced their own AI shopping assistants. This competitive landscape underscores the importance of AI as a differentiator in e-commerce, with major retailers racing to provide the most personalized and efficient shopping experience possible to maintain market share and customer loyalty in an increasingly AI-driven retail environment.
Sources:
- Amazon is testing shopping, health assistants as it pushes deeper into generative AI
- Amazon launches personalized shopping prompts as part of its generative AI push
- Amazon introduces beta AI shopping tool, ‘Interests’
