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Amazon Expands AI Retail Strategy With New Shopping Platform

Introducing A Tailored AI Shopping Platform

Amazon introduced a new initiative allowing retailers to license the company’s artificial intelligence shopping technology to build customized AI-powered retail assistants. The service is based on technology developed for Alexa for Shopping. It includes infrastructure, starter code and implementation tools designed to help retailers launch branded AI shopping experiences within approximately 60 days.

Expanding The Amazon Ecosystem

The initiative reflects Amazon’s broader strategy of commercializing technologies initially developed for internal operations. Previous examples have included the expansion of Amazon Web Services, cashierless retail systems and logistics technologies into external commercial products and services. Kate Spade, part of Tapestry, is among the first companies using the platform to develop a customized AI gifting assistant.

Industry Implications And Competitive Landscape

Technology companies and retailers are increasingly investing in AI-powered shopping tools as competition intensifies across digital commerce. Companies including OpenAI, Google and Perplexity are also expanding AI commerce capabilities. Retailers such as Walmart, Target, Etsy, Gap and eBay have similarly introduced or tested AI-driven retail features and partnerships.

Empowering Retailers Through Proprietary Knowledge

Amazon said the platform is designed to allow retailers to maintain control over customer interactions, product information and brand-specific shopping experiences. According to the company, retailer-owned AI systems can utilize more detailed catalog and consumer data than broader general-purpose AI tools operating across multiple platforms. Brands using the system can also retain direct control over customer engagement rather than relying on external intermediaries.

Looking Ahead

Amazon’s expansion into AI retail infrastructure reflects a broader shift among technology companies toward licensing internally developed AI systems to external businesses. The company’s latest initiative positions AI-powered shopping assistants as a growing part of the future retail ecosystem as brands continue searching for new ways to personalize digital commerce experiences.

A New Twitter-Inspired Social Network Is Taking Shape

A new social network called Twitter.now is entering the market, with a founding team that includes former Twitter trademark counsel Stephen Coates. The service is being developed by startup Operation Bluebird.

As Ars Technica reported, X sued the company last year and asked a Delaware judge to block the launch. Operation Bluebird argued in a petition that X had abandoned trademarks including “Twitter” and “Tweet.”

Coates has said the project is not an attempt to recreate the original Twitter. In a LinkedIn post, he described the platform as a new public space focused on trust, transparency and user choice.

AI System To Rate Posts

Twitter.now is currently being tested, with early access priced at $20. Its main feature is VERA, an AI system designed to evaluate posts, verify claims and provide sources and context.

Posts receive a trust score, with users eventually able to set a minimum score to filter their feeds. The company says this approach will give people more control over what they see instead of leaving those decisions entirely to an algorithm.

Moderation Remains A Challenge

Scaling moderation will be one of the platform’s biggest tests. Social networks have repeatedly struggled with content moderation as their communities grow, and newer platforms such as Bluesky have faced similar criticism.

Operation Bluebird says VERA will form the basis of its moderation and verification system. A second version is already planned, with expanded tools that would let users set a specific trust threshold for the posts appearing in their feeds.

For now, Twitter.now remains in an early testing phase, combining the familiarity of the Twitter name with an AI-driven approach to evaluating online information.

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