What Amazon’s New AI Agent Means for Food, Beverage & Travel Brands

Amazon’s Nova Act flips the script for food, beverage and travel marketers: AI is no longer following instructions, it’s taking initiative. Currently in its “research preview” phase, Nova Act is set to play a key role in Alexa+, Amazon’s next-generation voice assistant. See what this shift means for your brand and how you can prepare.

First Things First: What Is Agentic AI?

Agentic AI takes the capabilities of artificial intelligence to a whole new level. Unlike traditional chatbots that respond to questions, agentic AI systems like Nova Act can take action. They’re able to browse websites, fill out forms, select items and complete tasks independently.

Imagine this scenario shared by Amazon: a user says, “Order my usual from Sweetgreen.” Nova Act then navigates the Sweetgreen website, selects the user’s favorite items, goes through checkout and completes the transaction. All with zero human intervention.

Nova Act, and similar tools that will undoubtedly follow, allows users to delegate tasks in ways that change the entire customer experience. These tools will also challenge brands to rethink digital touchpoints to ensure they’re AI accessible.

Agentic AI for Food and Beverage Brands

For operators in foodservice, agentic AI could fundamentally reshape how guests place orders. Instead of browsing menus, filling out forms and navigating payment portals, customers will rely on AI agents to handle it all.

Agentic AI for Travel and Tourism Brands

The implications for the travel and tourism sector are equally profound. AI agents like Nova Act will be able to book flights, hotel rooms, tours or dining reservations without the customer needing to interact with your website or app. While this is convenient for users, it can present challenges for businesses.

How Can Your Brand Prepare?

You don’t need to become an AI expert or overhaul your digital infrastructure overnight. But there are steps you can take now to make sure your brand is prepared for this agentic AI revolution.

Step 1: Simplify Ordering and Booking Flows

Ensure that your online ordering and booking processes are as simple and intuitive as possible. Both human users and AI agents benefit from logical, frictionless workflows.

• Examples of good practices include step-by-step checkout stages, clear navigation and straightforward forms.

Step 2: Use Structured Content

Leverage semantic HTML and structured data to make your website “machine-readable.” This ensures AI can easily interpret your menus, products, booking calendars and more.

• Tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper can assist you in implementing schema.org tags for your site.

Step 3: Eliminate Friction

Minimize elements that could confuse or block AI agents, such as pop-ups, paywalls or overly dynamic interfaces that rely on JavaScript.

• An accessible digital experience benefits AI usability and improves the human user experience, too.

Step 4: Test and Optimize for AI

Start testing how AI agents interact with your website. Many emerging tools and services focus on analyzing how AI friendly your digital experience is. Use their insights to fix any gaps.

Step 5: Stay Ahead of the Curve

Follow developments from companies like Amazon, OpenAI and Anthropic to understand the capabilities of new AI platforms.

• Consider subscribing to industry publications, attending webinars, and seeking advice from AI consultants to stay well informed.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

The arrival of agentic AI like Nova Act highlights a bigger trend toward human-machine collaboration in consumer interactions. While it might still seem like a distant concept, it’s worth remembering that technologies like voice assistants and chatbots seemed futuristic not long ago. Today, they’re integral.

Want to get your brand AI ready or sharpen your digital experience? Reach out to David Melnick—we’re here to help.