Amazon Develops World Product Graph to Map Global Retail
Amazon is building a comprehensive database of all global products to reduce customer reliance on Google and combat rival AI shopping agents.
Amazon Inc. is developing a secret initiative called World Product Graph to collect comprehensive data on virtually every item for sale globally, including products the company does not stock. According to an internal PR/FAQ document, the project aims to establish Amazon as a primary destination for product research, thereby reducing customer reliance on brand websites, review forums, and Google.
The initiative is designed to increase the accuracy and cost-efficiency of Alexa for Shopping, the company's AI search agent. By crawling other retailers' websites and securing data contributions from companies like Coca-Cola and Bayer, Amazon intends to prevent third-party AI agents, such as Meta's Muse, from directing consumers toward rival retailers. Amazon has already taken steps to protect its ecosystem by blocking Muse from its retail site and suing Perplexity AI to prevent its agents from accessing the platform.
Amazon spokespeople stated that the internal document is a brainstorming draft and does not necessarily reflect current plans, noting that Alexa for Shopping is approximately 97% accurate globally. CEO Andy Jassy has downplayed the current impact of AI shopping agents on the company's advertising business, suggesting that few customers are currently shopping in this manner.
