How Amazon AI Is Reshaping Product Discovery in 2026
Rufus: 250 Million Users and Growing
Amazon's AI shopping assistant Rufus has reached 250 million users — a 140% year-over-year increase. Amazon estimates it generates over $10 billion in annualized sales. Customers who interact with Rufus are 60% more likely to complete a purchase.
Rufus is now available across European marketplaces: DE, FR, IT, ES, and UK.
For wholesale sellers, Rufus recommends specific products based on conversational queries rather than showing a search results page. This changes which products get visibility.
COSMO: The Algorithm Behind the Algorithm
COSMO is Amazon's AI layer on top of the A9 search algorithm. It interprets customer intent, not just keywords.
- Discovery attributes (subject, target audience, intended use) now directly influence rankings
- Keyword density matters less than clearly describing what a product is for
- Products with complete, descriptive listings rank better than keyword-stuffed ones
For wholesale sellers: you cannot change listings, but you can choose products with better listing quality. Products with A+ Content and clear use-case descriptions get more visibility under COSMO.
AI Listing Tools: 400K+ Sellers Using Them
Amazon's native AI tools generate over 70% of listing attributes automatically. Over 400,000 sellers report a 40% improvement in listing quality.
New in 2026:
- Enhance My Listing (EML): Suggests optimizations based on seasonal trends and engagement data
- AI Image Generation: Creates lifestyle images from product photos
- AI Video Generation (beta): Creates video ads from a single image
What This Means for Wholesale Sellers
- Prioritize products with optimized listings — COSMO rewards quality content
- Check for A+ Content — products with rich media get more AI-driven visibility
- Focus on niche products — conversational queries favor specific products over generic ones
- Monitor trends — AI-driven discovery means product visibility can shift faster than before