Amazon began rolling out a U.S. feature that displays AI-generated images when shoppers type product terms into the search bar, meant to illustrate concepts and refine searches rather than show real items for sale. The goal is to help shoppers who don't know the precise terminology for what they want, such as “cowl neck” for a draped collar or “rattan” for woven furniture, with tapping an image leading to more tailored results. It's the latest of many AI additions to Amazon's shopping experience, following AI review summaries, podcast-style product descriptions, and the recent replacement of its Rufus chatbot with Alexa for Shopping. Critics, including early reactions on Reddit, question why Amazon would generate fake product images when millions of real catalogue photos exist, and warn shoppers could fixate on an AI image only to find the item isn't actually for sale.
