Amazon has announced the creation of a new team focused on developing ‘agentic’ artificial intelligence — a type of AI that doesn’t just respond to questions but can actually carry out complex tasks for users.
The new group will be based at Lab126, Amazon’s secretive research center in Silicon Valley, best known for developing products like the Kindle e-reader and Echo smart speaker.
Unlike standard chatbots that provide answers to queries or generate content based on prompts, agentic AI is designed to take action. It can handle tasks that require multiple steps — for example booking a trip, managing a schedule, or helping a warehouse robot complete a physical task.
In a statement, Amazon said the new team will help create a system that allows robots to “hear, understand and act on natural language commands, turning warehouse robots into flexible, multi-talented assistants.”
The move comes as many tech companies shift their focus from basic AI tools that generate text or images to creating more advanced systems that can think through problems and take initiative.
Earlier this year, Amazon released a web-based AI agent, Nova Act, that can complete online tasks. Its cloud division is also working on similar projects.
In addition, the company’s upgraded voice assistant, Alexa+, launched in March, is expected to include agentic AI features — giving users an assistant that can do things, not just say things.
This marks another step in Amazon’s growing push to use AI to make its products smarter and more useful. However, while this push into AI promises greater efficiency and convenience, it also raises concerns — the primary one being the potential for job losses as more warehouse tasks are automated.
Chris Singleton is the Founder and Director of Ecommercetrix.
Since graduating from Trinity College Dublin in 1999, Chris has advised many businesses on how to grow their operations via a strong online presence, and now he shares his experience and expertise through his articles on the Ecommercetrix website.
Chris started his career as a data analyst for Irish marketing company Precision Marketing Information; since then he has worked on digital projects for a wide range of well-known organizations including Cancer Research UK, Hackney Council, Data Ireland and Prescription PR. He then went on to found the popular business apps review site Style Factory, followed by Ecommercetrix.
He is also the author of a book on SEO for beginners, “Super Simple SEO.”