Amazon's Head Of Prime on Tariffs, Alexa Plus Rollout, and AI Differentiation — With Jamil Ghani

This episode explores the impact of trade wars and the future of AI-powered shopping, featuring an interview with Jamil Ghani, VP of Amazon Prime. Against the backdrop of conflicting news reports about Amazon's response to tariffs, Ghani clarifies that displaying tariff costs was only considered for Amazon's low-cost subsidiary, not the main site. More significantly, the conversation pivots to the broader impact of tariffs on Amazon's marketplace and first-party sales, with Ghani emphasizing the company's focus on customer experience and supply chain diversification. For instance, he highlights the resilience of Prime Day despite concerns from some sellers about inventory limitations due to tariffs. As the discussion shifts to AI, Ghani details the rollout of Alexa Plus, emphasizing its conversational and action-oriented capabilities. He shares anecdotes from his family's use of Alexa Plus, illustrating its potential as both a helpful assistant and a source of entertainment. Finally, the interview touches upon the potential competition from AI chatbots like ChatGPT, with Ghani highlighting Amazon's unique combination of selection, pricing, and fast delivery as key differentiators. What this means for the future of e-commerce is a dynamic landscape where AI-powered assistants will likely play a significant role, but Amazon's established strengths in logistics and customer trust will remain crucial.