Amazon Web Services (AWS) has introduced the Agentic Shopping Assistant (ASA), a new AI solution that enables retailers to create custom conversational shopping assistants. The tool leverages technology from Amazon’s Alexa for Shopping and aims to boost conversion rates by providing personalized, natural language product recommendations, AWS said, according to medianama.com.
The ASA offering includes architecture guidance, starter code, and deployment support, allowing retailers to build AI-powered shopping experiences tailored to their product catalogues, customer data, and brand identity. AWS built the assistant using its own services such as Amazon Bedrock, AgentCore, and OpenSearch, drawing on insights from operating Alexa for Shopping. Retailers can deploy these assistants within weeks, a process that typically takes years to develop independently, AWS added.
This launch is significant as it reflects a shift from traditional keyword-based searches to conversational AI in retail, which AWS said led to 3.5 times higher conversion rates. Last year, more than 300 million customers engaged with Amazon’s AI shopping tools, generating nearly $12 billion in incremental sales. The ASA allows retailers to maintain control over customer relationships, branding, and proprietary business data while enhancing the shopping experience.
AWS plans to continue supporting retailers in deploying and customizing these AI assistants, aiming to accelerate adoption across the sector. The company highlighted that retailers can integrate ASA quickly and adapt it to their unique needs, potentially transforming how consumers interact with online stores. Observers will watch for uptake rates and impact on sales metrics as more retailers implement the technology.