Amazon’s CEO says Amazon AI shopping agents from outside companies are “still not great” and no more convenient than visiting a retailer directly. Andy Jassy made the comment on Amazon’s Q3 2026 earnings call on October 29. At the same time, he said Amazon’s own Alexa shopping tools are doing very well.
In short: Amazon is betting that you’ll shop inside its apps, not through someone else’s AI assistant.
Quick Facts
- Jassy said few customers do much shopping through outside AI agents yet, per TechRadar.
- Amazon says more than 400 million customers used Alexa for shopping in the past year.
- Amazon says shopping “customer interactions” grew 570% year over year.
- US customers who use Alexa spend 50% more per order than those who don’t, according to Amazon.
- Amazon blocked Meta’s Muse assistant from its store in September 2026.
Every number above comes from Amazon itself, so treat them as company claims, not independent measurements.
What Jassy actually said about shopping agents
Jassy’s message was blunt. Outside agents are “still not great,” and they aren’t “more convenient than coming to a retailer directly.” He also said few shoppers are using them for much yet.
That’s a useful reality check. Agent demos look smooth, but Amazon is saying real shoppers aren’t flocking to them. Keep in mind that Amazon has every reason to downplay a rival way of buying things.
The reason it matters is money. Amazon earns a lot from ads and product recommendations on its own pages. If an outside bot does the browsing for you, Amazon never shows you those ads.
Why Amazon blocked Meta’s Muse
In September, Amazon stopped Meta’s Muse assistant from accessing its online store. Amazon said Muse’s access would break the conditions of use that customers agree to.
Other stores took the opposite path. TechRadar notes that Walmart, Best Buy and Shopify have joined Meta’s Muse integration. We covered how Walmart is handling this in our look at Walmart agent profiles and spending limits.
The result is a split. If you ask Muse to buy something, it can work at some stores but not at Amazon, at least for now.
The Alexa numbers, and how to read them
| What Amazon reported | Figure | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Customers who used Alexa for shopping (past year) | 400 million+ | Counts anyone who used it, even once. It doesn’t say how many bought something. |
| Growth in customer interactions | 570% year over year | A big jump, but Amazon didn’t share the starting number. |
| Spend per order, Alexa users vs. others (US) | 50% higher | People who use Alexa may already be heavy shoppers, so this isn’t proof Alexa causes bigger orders. |
These figures are impressive on the surface. Still, big percentages can hide small starting points, and “used” is a low bar.
There’s also a gap in what the numbers leave out. Amazon didn’t say how many of those 400 million people actually bought something through Alexa, or how often. Until it does, the best reading is that Alexa shopping is growing fast from an unknown base.
If you want to see what Alexa can do inside the Shopping app today, our post on Alexa for Shopping’s 100+ new skills covers refunds, lists and subscriptions.
What this means if you shop with AI
For now, the safest setup is simple. Use Amazon’s own tools on Amazon, and use outside agents where the store has officially welcomed them.
Whichever you pick, a few habits help. Check the cart before any agent pays. Set a spending limit if the tool offers one. And don’t hand over card details to an assistant you haven’t read the data policy for.
Privacy is worth a second look too. TechRadar points to claims that Muse collects more data than rival chatbots and to a reported zero-day issue. Those are allegations, so check the original reports before you decide.
What to watch next
Amazon may expand Alexa’s shopping features in the coming months, though that is TechRadar’s speculation, not an Amazon announcement. The bigger question is whether Amazon keeps outside agents blocked or eventually opens a controlled door.
Watch for changes to Amazon’s conditions of use, and for whether more retailers copy Walmart’s approach. Either one would show which way the market is heading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amazon allow AI shopping agents?
Not from every company. Amazon blocked Meta’s Muse in September, saying it broke the conditions of use. Amazon’s own Alexa shopping tools remain available.
What did Andy Jassy say about AI shopping agents?
He said they are “still not great” and not more convenient than going to a retailer directly. He added that few customers are using them for much shopping yet.
Do Alexa users really spend more on Amazon?
Amazon says US customers who use Alexa spend 50% more per order. That’s a company figure, and it doesn’t prove Alexa is the reason.
Can I use Meta’s Muse to shop on Amazon?
Not right now. Amazon blocked Muse from its store in September 2026.
Our take
Jassy’s comments sound less like a review of AI agents and more like a defense of Amazon’s ad-supported storefront. His Alexa numbers are worth noting but come without context. Until independent data shows otherwise, shop with agents for research and lists, and keep final checkout in your own hands.
Leave a Reply