On December 31, 2025, eagle-eyed advertisers noticed a quiet but significant update within the Amazon Advertising console: the appearance of a new feature labeled "Prompts" (currently in beta).
This unannounced rollout marks a pivotal moment in Amazon’s ad strategy. It signals that the platform is accelerating its transition from the traditional keyword-centric targeting logic to a new era of intelligent matching based on "user intent."
What Are "Prompt Ads"?
Unlike standard Sponsored Products where you bid on specific terms like "wireless headphones," Prompts leverage Generative AI (likely integrated with Amazon's Rufus assistant) to dynamically generate interactive questions or suggestions for shoppers.
Instead of a static ad, a user might see a prompt asking, "Are you looking for noise-canceling features?" or "Compare top-rated battery life." If the user clicks, Amazon’s AI instantly serves products that match that specific need—regardless of whether the seller bid on the exact keyword "battery life."
From Keywords to Intent
For over a decade, Amazon PPC has been a game of exact-match keywords. If you didn't bid on "running shoes for flat feet," you didn't show up. The "Prompts" update changes the rules:
- Old Logic: Match the text the user types.
- New Logic: Understand the problem the user wants to solve.
The AI analyzes the shopper's behavior, past searches, and current context to determine their "intent." It then matches them with products whose listing content (bullets, description, A+ content) best answers that intent.
This shift reduces the reliance on manual keyword harvesting but places a massive premium on listing quality.
- Content is King (Again): Because the AI reads your product page to decide if it matches a "Prompt," your listing must be rich in semantic details. If your description doesn't explicitly state that your blender "crushes ice," the AI won't show it to a user asking about frozen drinks.
- Loss of Control: Sellers may find it harder to "force" their way into unrelated niches using high bids. The AI will prioritize relevance over pure bid strength.
- New Metrics: The "Prompts" tab in the ad console (currently sparsely populated) will likely soon offer data on which questions or intents are driving conversions for your products.
While "Prompts" is currently in a limited test phase, the direction is clear. 2026 will be the year Amazon Ads becomes an "answer engine," not just a search engine. Sellers should immediately audit their product listings to ensure they speak to solutions and use cases, not just specs.
05 Jan, 2026
