By Clint George
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January 21, 2026
Amazon’s AI now plays a bigger role in purchasing decisions than most brands realize. What you list, how you say it, and what customers say about you all feed the system deciding who gets seen—and who gets skipped. Amazon AI, now referred to as Cosmo , with it’s customer interface Rufus, now sits at the center of how shoppers discover and decide on products. For brands, this means every piece of content and data you provide isn’t just informing shoppers—it’s training the AI that decides whether you win the sale. And speaking of data, you'll surely be impressed with these numbers: 250 MILLION customers used Rufus in 2025 $10 BILLION in projected additional sales in 2026, prompted by Rufus 60% HIGHER propensity to convert when using Rufus Cosmo’s algorithm thrives on data. Customer interactions, product information, and signals from shoppers helps the system learn, predict, and decide which products get seen and which ones don’t. Understanding the forces that feed Cosmo and what actions they need to take is key for brands aiming to align their strategy with the AI, rather than just reacting to it. Cosmo's medium to high impacts include : Catalog Data (High Impact)- Ensure backend attributes such as color, size, flavor, scent, and other key fields are complete and accurate Customer Reviews (High Impact)- Rufus actively analyzes customer feedback to understand sentiment, product benefits, and real-world performance Listing Information (High Impact)- Rufus indexes titles, bullet points, product descriptions (including non-customer-facing fields), and images. This includes text on images and alt text (auto-generated by Amazon and heavily influenced by your title). Listings must be fully retail-ready Customer Q&A (Medium-High Impact)- Even though Q&A is no longer visible on product pages, Rufus references both current and historical customer questions and answers Customer Profile (Medium-High Impact)- Shopper behavior and past purchase history help Rufus personalize recommendations and responses Web Sources (Medium Impact)- Your brand website should reflect accurate product assortment, brand positioning, and product details to support AI understanding and discovery Amazon’s AI isn’t a future consideration, it’s already shaping how products are discovered and chosen. Brands that treat their data and content as AI inputs, not just shopper-facing assets, will be best positioned to win. Brand Focus Digital talent brings decades of experience working at and with Amazon (as well as other online retailers). In partnership, we deliver comprehensive solutions, including maximizing Cosmo/Rufus, to maximize profits for your brands. Contact us now to get the help that truly makes a difference.