Amazon has kicked off trials for a new artificial intelligence shopping assistant, Buy for Me, which allows users to make purchases from third-party websites directly through the Amazon Shopping app. Announced via a company blog post, this move places Amazon alongside other tech giants racing to build AI tools that redefine how we shop online.

A Smarter Shopping Experience

If a user searches for a product on Amazon that the platform doesn’t carry, Buy for Me will show results from external retailers. Users can browse those items, select what they want, and proceed with the purchase—all without leaving the Amazon app.

What makes this feature stand out is that Amazon’s AI will actually visit the external site on the user’s behalf, add the item to the cart, and input details like name, address, and payment—all behind the scenes.

How Amazon's AI Shopping Agent Works?

Amazon says the new feature is powered by its proprietary Nova AI models and also integrates Claude, an AI developed by Anthropic. The system mimics a human shopper navigating websites, completing orders without user intervention.

Here’s what the AI does when processing a request.

• Searches external websites for the product.
• Adds the item to the cart on the chosen site.
• Inputs your shipping address and billing info.
• Submits the order—while keeping your data encrypted.

Data Privacy and Trust Concerns

One of the biggest talking points is how Amazon handles sensitive information. According to the company, Buy for Me uses encrypted methods to securely insert payment details on third-party websites, ensuring that even Amazon can't access what the user is buying outside its ecosystem.

This approach differs from other AI shopping agents. For example, OpenAI and Google require users to enter their payment data manually, while Perplexity uses a prepaid card for orders.

Implications for the E-Commerce Landscape

By opening its platform to facilitate purchases from across the web, Amazon could potentially expand its influence beyond its own marketplace. This feature may position Amazon as a one-stop digital assistant for online shopping, even for products it doesn’t directly sell.

However, this shift also asks users to place more trust in AI—trust that it won’t make mistakes or misplace orders. Additionally, the burden of handling returns or support falls back to third-party sellers, which could affect user experience.