Is Amazon Falling Behind? AI Agents, Rufus, and the Future of Ecommerce

Amazon built its empire by disrupting everyone else. But what happens when the disruptor starts looking… defensive. As Walmart, Target, Shopify, Wayfair, and others plug into Google’s universal commerce protocols, AI agents are suddenly able to compare and transact across retailers. Meanwhile, Amazon is still operating inside its walled garden — and that raises some big questions.

Today I bring you a snippet of a conversation I had on the Ecommerce Braintrust Podcast with Julie Spear and Jordan Ripley from Acadia. We dug into Amazon’s AI strategy, the backlash to its 'Buy for Me' agent, and what consumer behavior is telling us about where online shopping is really headed. Finally, I analyze comments from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and read between the lines on whether Amazon will ultimately have to play ball with third-party AI (and what it might cost them if they wait too long).

Timeline

[00:00] Amazon’s role reversal: from disruptor to defender in the age of AI commerce

[01:15] Rufus vs. universal AI agents — is “best in class” enough inside a walled garden?

[02:15] Backlash against Amazon’s “Buy for Me” agent and why small brands are pushing back

[04:28] The Salesforce stat that should worry Amazon: shoppers are already using LLMs in-store

[06:17] The future “handshake” between offsite AI agents and onsite retail experiences

[08:15] Andy Jassy’s comments on third-party AI and what he quietly concedes

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