Inside the daily AI habits of Amazon’s CEO and senior executives

Artificial intelligence is often discussed in abstract terms—models, scale, efficiency. But inside Amazon, some of the company’s most senior leaders are experiencing AI in far more personal, human ways: helping a dog gear up for kayaking, turning family recipes into conversations, organizing chaotic family schedules, and even discovering better books.

Across teams—from retail and sustainability to transportation, advertising, and devices—Amazon executives describe AI not as a distant technology, but as a daily companion that adapts, remembers, and increasingly feels intuitive.

Shopping That Knows You (and Your Dog)

For Doug Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, AI’s impact is clearest in how it personalizes everyday shopping.

I’ve been using Rufus, Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant, to shop recently. I talk to Rufus about Arno a lot,

Herrington says, referring to his dog.

Rufus remembers his breed, his size, and his favorite food and treats.

That memory paid off when Herrington mentioned a kayaking trip in Puget Sound.

When I told Rufus about our upcoming outing, it recommended a great life vest for him without hesitation.

Beyond recommendations, Rufus is also changing how customers interact with pricing.

You can go to any product detail page and press the ‘price history’ link… and ask Rufus to alert you if the price drops, and even automatically buy it for you once it does,

Herrington explains.

I’ve got price alerts for Arno’s fetch toys and chew rings—so if they go on deal, Rufus loads us up. I’m happy—and Arno is too.

AI as a Connector, Not a Replacement

For Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer, AI has become a bridge—between family members and between complex ideas.

My parents live across the country, but music helps us stay connected,

Hurst says.

My son and I used AI to surprise my dad with custom songs based on his interests.

The result exceeded expectations.

The app produced country and rock tracks—good ones!—and my dad was absolutely blown away. It’s a great family memory.

AI also plays a practical role in her nonprofit work.

Outside of work, I serve on the board of Water.org, and AI has become invaluable for meeting prep,

she says.

I recently used it to summarize research and pull salient points from a long document, reminding me of the key questions I wanted to ask.

Better Books, Fewer Misses

For Beryl Tomay, Vice President of Transportation, AI has quietly reshaped how she reads.

Reading is a big part of my day,

Tomay says.

To help me choose what to read next, I added all my past books, ratings, and notes into an AI tool.

The system didn’t just learn what she liked—it learned what she didn’t.

The AI identified patterns and extrapolated things I tend to not enjoy, so the recommendations have been very aligned with what I like across a diverse set of genres.

The impact is measurable.

My yearly average book rating has even gone up as a result,

she notes.

Some of my favorite books from 2025 were found this way—and 2026 is already off to a strong start with two 5-star reads.

An AI “Chief of Staff” for Family Life

For Kelly MacLean, Vice President at Amazon Ads, AI helps manage something far more complex than campaigns: a household with three kids, two careers, and a dog.

The family calendar can feel like its own full-time job,

MacLean says.

I started experimenting with AI as a lightweight ‘AI family operating system’—something that thinks through logistics like a human chief of staff.

By connecting calendars, school schedules, sports, and travel, the system creates clarity.

Every Sunday it summarizes the week, flags conflicts before I ever see them, and offers daily adjustments that help us avoid scrambling.

It even handles the small things.

Snack duty, jersey colors, when to leave based on traffic, weather—it offloads the mental juggle,

she says.

Honestly, it almost feels a little magical.

Coding, Cooking, and Reading—Together

For Panos Panay, Senior Vice President of Devices and Services, the most meaningful AI moments happen side by side with family.

One of my favorite AI hacks right now is sitting down with my son and writing code together,

Panay says.

Starting from zero and creating something reminds you that AI isn’t just about consuming—it’s about building and learning together.

In the kitchen, AI becomes a collaborator.

I took a photo of my mother-in-law’s handwritten kibbeh recipe and uploaded it to Alexa,

he recalls.

Step by step, Alexa became my sous-chef.

The experience was more than practical.

It turned into a conversation about substitutions, techniques, and timing. It’s deeply emotional—it brings family, memory, and tradition to life.

Even reading has changed.

Kindle’s ‘Story So Far’ completely changed how I read,

Panay says.

It pulls you right back into the story and the characters you care about.

A More Human Future for AI

Across these stories, a common theme emerges: AI works best when it fades into the background and amplifies what matters most—time, connection, creativity, and presence.

As Panay puts it:

My advice? AI should be useful and keep you present. Try one simple thing—talk to Alexa about a family recipe, ask Kindle about a book you haven’t picked up in a while, or create something entirely new that inspires you.

Material by Iva Abadjievа

Source: Amazon