Amazon launches an AI shopping assistant for the search bar, powered by Alexa+ 

Whether you like it or not, Amazon continues to put AI at the center of the shopping journey. The company announced Wednesday “Alexa for Shopping,” its new personalized AI shopping assistant, powered by Alexa+.  Notably, the experience will replace Rufus, its generative AI shopping assistant that launched in 2024. According to the company, Alexa for Shopping is designed to offer a voice- and touch-enabled shopping experience across mobile, desktop, and Echo Show smart displays. While Rufus focused on helping customers discover and compare products, Alexa for Shopping is meant to provide more personalized recommendations and automate the shopping experience across Amazon and other online retailers.