e-commerce
Samsung taps AnyMind for AI live commerce across eight markets
Adds 4,450 monthly livestream hours; deploys AI avatars across Southeast Asia and Oceania.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… algorithm, shopping just got a new host, and it doesn’t sleep. Samsung Electronics has partnered with AnyMind Group to scale its live commerce operations using the AI-powered platform AnyLive, marking a shift towards always-on, avatar-led retail engagement across eight markets. The rollout spans Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, with Samsung set to introduce an additional 4,450 livestream hours per month across channels. In Southeast Asia, the streams will run across Shopee, Lazada and Samsung’s own brand.com platforms, while Australia and New Zealand will see AI avatars deployed directly on brand-owned channels.
A key highlight is speed and scale. Samsung was able to deploy 10 AI avatar-led livestreams simultaneously across eight markets with just a two-week lead time. The system supports three avatar formats studio-produced, pre-built from AnyLive’s library, and fully AI-generated avatars tailored for specific regions such as Australia and New Zealand.
These avatars are designed to interact with viewers in real time, responding to queries in native languages and local accents. The idea is simple but powerful: a shopper in Manila and one in Sydney can receive equally personalised product guidance, without the need for human hosts or production teams.
The move reflects a broader transition in retail towards what industry players are calling “hybrid commerce,” a blend of human-led engagement and AI-driven scalability. For Samsung, it signals a shift from scheduled broadcasts to a 24/7 engagement model that adapts to consumer behaviour across time zones.
AnyLive, the platform powering this shift, enables continuous livestreaming supported by AI avatars that not only interact with audiences but also track performance across both human and AI-led sessions.
The partnership also builds on AnyMind Group’s recent push into social commerce, following its acquisitions of Vietnam-based Vibula in September 2025 and Japan’s Bcode and MISM in January 2026 moves aimed at strengthening its capabilities in live streaming and vertical video production.
As live commerce evolves from a novelty to a necessity, the message is clear: in the race for attention, brands are no longer just going live, they’re staying live.
e-commerce
Amazon unveils first Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report
32,000 bad actors targeted, 15 million fake products removed in 2025.
MUMBAI: In a marketplace where trust is the real currency, Amazon is showing its receipts. Amazon has released its first-ever Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report, offering a detailed look at how it polices its vast digital shelves from counterfeit crackdowns to scam detection and review authenticity. At the heart of the report is a four-pronged strategy, proactive controls, risk anticipation, enforcement against bad actors, and consumer protection. The scale is staggering. Since 2020, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit has pursued over 32,000 bad actors globally through litigation and criminal referrals spanning 14 countries.
The clean-up drive accelerated in 2025, with the company identifying and disposing of more than 15 million counterfeit products worldwide. Legal action also led to the takedown of over 100 websites linked to fake reviews and scams, an ongoing battle in the age of algorithmic manipulation.
Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence and machine learning are doing the heavy lifting. Amazon says it monitors billions of daily interactions across listings, reviews, and seller activity to spot trouble before it surfaces. Its predictive systems can even flag potentially infringing listings for trending products before brands raise the alarm.
Tools like Omniscan, which verifies product safety information at scale, and SENTRIX, designed to detect and eliminate phishing websites, are part of this expanding tech arsenal. Together, they aim to reduce risk while keeping the platform usable for legitimate sellers.
That balance between protection and friction is a tightrope Amazon acknowledges. Rohan Oommen, Vice President of Worldwide Customer and Partner Trust, noted that while safeguards are critical, they must not stifle genuine businesses. Features like the Account Health Dashboard are meant to give sellers clearer visibility into compliance and performance.
Consumer-facing measures are also getting sharper. From direct safety alerts to recall notifications and refund guidance, Amazon is leaning into transparency, backed by partnerships with consumer organisations to raise awareness.
The report’s release follows the expansion of Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit into India, signalling a deeper push into one of its fastest-growing markets, with closer coordination planned between brands, sellers, and law enforcement.
In short, as online shopping grows more complex, Amazon is betting that trust built through data, enforcement, and a fair bit of algorithmic vigilance will be its most valuable product yet.
