Amazon positions Alexa as main shopping assistant after blocking Muse
Technology
Amazon is making a big move to turn Alexa into your main shopping assistant, especially as competition heats up with Meta's own AI tool, Muse.
After blocking Muse from accessing its store in September, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently talked up the perks of buying straight from retailers, making it clear it wants to keep shoppers in its own ecosystem.
Alexa used by over 400 million shoppers
Alexa's popularity for shopping has exploded: more than 400 million people used it to shop this past year, a 570% jump.
Plus, US shoppers using Alexa spend about 50% more per order than those who don't.
By leveling up Alexa and keeping everything in-house, Amazon hopes to stay ahead in the race for AI-powered retail.