Amazon feeds its large language models vast quantities of retail data. It says its AI agents might someday be smart enough to buy you stuff without you even having to ask.

Chilimbi says the first step toward AI agents will likely be chatbots that proactively recommend products based on what they know of your habits and interests, as well as a grasp of broader trends. He acknowledges that making this feel nonintrusive will be crucial. “If it’s no good and annoying, then you’ll tune it out,” he says. “But if it comes up with surprising things that are interesting, you’ll use it more.”

Future AI agents might, for instance, navigate various websites to sort out a parking ticket, or they might operate a PC to file a tax return.