Amazon.com Inc. is testing a new audio feature in its mobile app that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to summarize product details and customer reviews in short, podcast-style clips.
The ecommerce giant says the feature is now available to a subset of U.S. users. The clips are designed to help shoppers quickly understand key information without needing to scroll through lengthy product descriptions.
Amazon ranks No. 1 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 2000, a database of North America’s largest online retailers by annual web sales. It also holds the No. 3 spot in Digital Commerce 360’s Global Online Marketplaces Database, ranking the 100 largest global marketplaces by third-party gross merchandise value (GMV).
Additionally, Amazon is one of the “Big Four” mass merchants featured in Digital Commerce 360’s 2025 State of American Ecommerce Report.
How Amazon audio summaries work
According to a blog post on AboutAmazon.com, the tool pulls content from Amazon’s product catalog, reviews and other web sources. It then uses large language models (LLMs) to generate a script. That script is then narrated by synthetic voices referred to as “AI shopping experts.” The audio clips are designed to mimic real conversations and typically last around two minutes.
“The feature makes product research fun and convenient — it’s like having helpful friends discuss potential purchases to make your shopping easier, even if you’re multitasking or on the go,” said Rajiv Mehta, vice president of search and conversational shopping at Amazon, in the blog post.
AI’s expanding role in product discovery
Amazon’s new audio summaries begin with a disclaimer that they are AI-generated and are followed by a casual exchange between two synthetic “hosts.”
A “Hear the highlights” button appears below eligible product images, allowing users to listen. Amazon says the tool is currently being tested on products that typically require more consideration before purchase, though it didn’t provide examples.
Notably, the company hasn’t framed the feature as an accessibility tool. However, its audio format could benefit visually impaired shoppers or those who prefer auditory learning. Yassine Elkarmoudi, founder of ad agency NivoAds, noted in a LinkedIn post that the tool is useful for “multitaskers, auditory learners, and anyone tired of skimming endless text.”
He also advised sellers to fine-tune their listing copy and SEO to better align with how the large language models interpret product content. “The algorithm is evolving and so should you,” Elkarmoudi wrote.
Amazon did not specify which LLMs power the tool. However, the script is generated and then converted into short-form audio clips, narrated by the synthetic voices. The company says it plans to roll out the feature to more U.S. shoppers and products “in the coming months.”
Amazon’s expanding portfolio of generative AI tools
The audio feature is part of a broader push by Amazon to integrate AI into the shopping experience.
In March, the retailer launched Interests, an AI-powered tool that monitors and surfaces products aligned with individual shopper preferences. The feature builds on earlier AI tools such as Amelia, Amazon’s generative AI assistant for marketplace sellers.
Other Amazon AI tools that Mehta highlighted include:
- Rufus, Amazon’s generative AI assistant that answers shopper questions and offers product recommendations.
- Shopping Guides, a product research tool that brings together shopping guidance and product recommendations.
- Review Highlights, which distill customer sentiment into quick, scannable summaries.
Earlier this year, Amazon also began piloting Buy for Me, an agentic AI-powered checkout tool that allows shoppers to complete purchases from third-party brand sites without leaving the Amazon app. The company says parts of the process can work with minimal human intervention — a process known as agentic commerce, which tech companies and ecommerce retailers are increasingly adopting to automate the shopping journey, from discovery to checkout.
Retailers across the industry are investing in generative AI
Amazon is one of many retailers accelerating its AI efforts.
At its I/O developer conference this month, Google previewed a new AI Mode shopping experience, as well as features planned for agentic checkout and the state of its virtual dressing room.
Meanwhile, The Home Depot Inc. (No. 4 in the Top 2000) has seen its generative AI assistant, Magic Apron, improve customer engagement and online conversion, according to Billy Bastek, the retailer’s executive vice president of merchandising. The tool can summarize product reviews and answer questions about home improvement products.
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