Amazon’s AI agent shopper is roping in brands without asking (www.techradar.com)

Amazon's new AI-powered "Buy for Me" feature allows customers to purchase items from other retailers directly through the platform, often without the retailers' consent. This functionality uses publicly available information from brand websites to place orders on behalf of customers, creating a seamless shopping experience. However, many small businesses are expressing frustration as they discovered their products listed for sale on Amazon without prior notification or agreement, leading to orders for items they no longer stock or never intended to sell directly. This circumstance raises significant concerns within the AI and retail community. While Amazon asserts that the AI tool utilizes publicly accessible data and has mechanisms for verifying stock and pricing, the reality is that inaccuracies can lead to compliance issues for retailers. The situation highlights a troubling irony, as Amazon has previously been vocal about protecting its data from external AI scraping while developing its own AI systems to do just that with competitors' information. As AI technologies increasingly integrate into e-commerce, the implications for brand autonomy and ethical data use are profound, suggesting that retailers may need to advocate more vigorously for their rights in the face of these advancements.