Amazon Launches Alexa for Shopping AI to Automate Tasks and Replace Rufus in Search Bar

Amazon has launched Alexa for Shopping, a new AI-powered assistant integrated directly into the main search bar on Amazon.com, its mobile app, and Echo Show smart displays. Announced this week and now available to U.S. customers, the tool combines the company's previous Rufus generative AI chatbot—launched in 2024—with its Alexa+ personalized assistant, effectively retiring the Rufus brand. According to TechCrunch, this voice- and touch-enabled experience aims to deliver highly tailored shopping recommendations by drawing on users' purchase history, habits, and preferences.

The assistant transforms the standard search bar into a conversational interface, much like recent changes to Google search. Users can type or speak queries such as "What's a good skincare routine for men?" or "When did I last order AA batteries?" and receive not just product listings, but AI-generated overviews, comparisons, personalized shopping guides, and up to a year of price history. As Bloomberg reports, this move places artificial intelligence at the heart of Amazon's most valuable retail real estate—the search bar—making shopping more intuitive and automated.

Key features include automating multi-step tasks, which Amazon describes as "agentic" capabilities. Alexa for Shopping can track prices and alert users to deals, schedule recurring orders for essentials like pet food or paper towels, build shopping carts based on stated needs, and even add items automatically when prices drop to a target, such as "Add this sunscreen to my cart if it hits $10." It extends beyond Amazon's marketplace via a "Buy for Me" option, handling purchases from other online retailers, which raises questions about AI autonomy and user privacy even as it promises convenience.

This rollout follows Amazon's recent expansions, including its 30-minute "Amazon Now" delivery service in dozens of U.S. cities and other AI enhancements for real-time product queries. The company positions Alexa for Shopping as a more personal evolution, learning from interactions to improve over time. U.S. customers are affected immediately, with international expansion planned alongside broader Alexa+ availability through 2026, potentially reshaping how hundreds of millions shop online.

For consumers, the update means easier discovery and reordering, benefiting frequent Amazon users who value speed and personalization. Retail competitors and external AI tools face stiffer competition, especially as Amazon has pursued legal action to limit third-party agents on its platform. While early feedback highlights its fluency with Amazon's vast data—like recommendation graphs and account history—the full impact will depend on adoption and how well it balances helpfulness with concerns over data use.