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Sponsored prompts are Amazon's AI-generated ad questions that appear in shopping results and on product pages, attached to your Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns. Branded Conversations, due in January 2027, turn those prompts into a multi-turn conversation inside Alexa for Shopping.
Both are enabled automatically for eligible campaigns, and both can be paused or opted out. This guide is part of our AI ads hub and was checked against Amazon Ads pages on 9 November 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon says Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands prompts moved to general availability in the U.S. on March 25, 2026.
- Existing Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns are automatically enrolled, and prompts are billed as part of your CPC bidding.
- You can pause individual prompts, and a Prompts report shows metrics at the prompt level.
- Branded Conversations launch in January 2027 for eligible US Sponsored Brands collections campaigns, also auto-enrolled.
- With Branded Conversations, Amazon charges CPC only on conversation-starter prompts, and follow-up turns are free.
What sponsored prompts are
Amazon's prompts announcement calls them "a new AI-powered enhancement to your existing campaigns that automatically engages shoppers with relevant product information."
Amazon says prompts can appear in shopping results and on product detail pages. "When clicked, prompts may open a dialog in Rufus or respond to the customer directly on the page where the prompt appeared."
Rufus is Amazon's AI shopping assistant. Amazon's newsroom says that on May 13, 2026, Rufus was renamed Alexa for Shopping. The prompts page still uses the old name.
Where the content comes from
You do not write the prompts. Amazon says they "leverage Amazon's first-party signals from your detail pages, Brand Store, campaign data, and more."
That means your product detail pages and Brand Store are, in effect, your ad copy. If a detail page is thin or inaccurate, the prompt drawn from it may be too.
Who is enrolled
Amazon says: "Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns will be automatically enrolled in prompts and leverage existing campaign parameters (e.g., campaign targeting) without any additional setup required."
The same page limits it: "This feature is available to U.S. Amazon advertisers using Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns (excluding authors and publishers)."
If you run those campaigns in the US, prompts are probably already on. Check your account rather than assuming.
Billing
Amazon says prompts were introduced in November 2025 in open beta. It adds: "As we move to general availability in the U.S., we will begin to charge for these ads as part of your CPC bidding and billing parameters."
So a click on a prompt is a paid click, billed like your other clicks.
Controls and reporting
Amazon gives two kinds of control.
- Pause. "If you'd like to pause a prompt, you can do so at any time in Ad Console."
- Review. Go to Campaign, then Ad Group, then Ads, then the Prompts tab. Amazon says prompts are listed there "if they have received a click."
Amazon also offers a Prompts report. Its page says the report "includes prompt text, associated ad, impressions, clicks, click-through rate, cost per click, spend, sales, ACOS, ROAS, and 7-day orders and units."
To build it, go to Reports, choose Create report, set the category to Sponsored Products, and pick Prompts as the report type.
Branded Conversations, coming January 2027
Amazon's Branded Conversations page describes the next step. It "evolves Sponsored Brands prompts into a multi-turn, brand-informed conversation inside Alexa for Shopping."
When a shopper taps a prompt on your Sponsored Brands collections ad, they enter a conversation. Amazon says it "draws on your catalog and brand-supplied content — such as product guides, compatibility info, and usage tips."
Amazon also says the conversation is "personalized to their preferences and purchase history."
Prompts versus Branded Conversations
| Sponsored prompts | Branded Conversations | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Generally available in the US since March 25, 2026 | "Starting January 2027" |
| Campaigns | Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands | Sponsored Brands, starting with collections |
| Who | US advertisers, excluding authors and publishers | "All US Endemic Amazon advertisers using Sponsored Brands ads (not authors)" |
| Enrollment | Automatic | Automatic for eligible collections campaigns |
| Billing | Part of your CPC bidding | CPC on conversation-starter prompts; follow-ups free |
| Your input | Drawn from detail pages, Brand Store, campaign data | Plus a campaign-level brief |
| Controls | Pause individual prompts | Pause, campaign inputs, opt-out at campaign or account level |
The brief
Branded Conversations add one new input. Amazon says brands can inform conversations "through a campaign-level brief to highlight brand and product differentiators, educate shoppers on a new launch, map products to customer needs, or suggest complete routines."
This is your main lever. Write it like guidance for a well-trained store associate: what you sell, who it suits, and what it is not for.
Opting out
Amazon says Branded Conversations include "opt-out available at the campaign or account level." It also says API documentation "will be available closer to launch."
What to do now
- Check your Prompts tab. If your US campaigns have prompts with clicks, review the prompt text for accuracy.
- Run the Prompts report. Compare prompt spend and ACOS with the rest of the campaign.
- Pause weak prompts. Amazon lets you pause individual prompts at any time.
- Improve detail pages. Amazon draws prompt content from them, so accuracy matters.
- Draft a Branded Conversations brief. Prepare it before January 2027 so it is ready when eligible campaigns are enrolled.
For broader Amazon account management, see our article on Amazon PPC for large catalogs.
How this compares with other AI ads
Amazon's approach looks like Google's in one way. Both enroll existing campaigns automatically. Google says existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are automatically eligible for AI Mode.
The difference is reporting. Amazon gives a prompt-level report with spend and sales. Google reports AI Mode results in aggregate with the rest of Search.
For more on the other platforms, see which AI assistants show ads.
Next step
If you want help planning Amazon alongside search and AI surfaces, see our marketing strategy service.
Frequently asked questions
Are Amazon sponsored prompts turned on automatically?
Yes. Amazon says Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns are automatically enrolled, using existing campaign targeting.
Do I pay for sponsored prompts?
Yes, since general availability in the US on March 25, 2026. Amazon says it charges for them as part of your CPC bidding and billing.
Can I turn off a prompt?
Yes. Amazon says you can pause a prompt at any time in the Ad Console.
When do Branded Conversations start?
Amazon says January 2027, for eligible US Sponsored Brands collections campaigns.
Are follow-up questions in Branded Conversations billed?
No. Amazon says you are charged CPC only on conversation-starter prompts, and follow-up turns are free.
