How Does Amazon COSMO Work?

Amazon COSMO is Amazon’s AI-driven algorithm that detects human intent and “common sense” logic behind a search query. COSMO understands the purpose of the search, rather than just ranking based on keyword loading, it prioritises customer intent.

How COSMO has Changed Search: Keywords to Intent

Unlike the older Amazon algorithms that relied on exact keyword matching, COSMO now uses large language models to construct a Knowledge Graph. This graph maps products based on physical attributes that provide real-world solutions and cater to shopper needs.

For example, if a customer searches for a “yoga mat for joint pain,” COSMO can infer they need a “high-density, 6mm TPE mat with impact absorption,” even if those specific keywords aren’t in your title. If your Amazon Ads aren’t performing as expected, the reason is usually that your product listings lack the Intent Nodes (e.g., “sensitive knees/joint pain”) that the COSMO algorithm needs to verify your product’s real-world utility.

We go into detail here about decoding the Amazon Science report to help you turn these technical COSMO insights into an actionable strategy.

​​Why Is Amazon COSMO Important for Sellers?

Understanding COSMO is paramount for performing well on Amazon, as many sellers now feel stuck when traditional SEO tactics no longer drive sales. Sellers must now move away from keyword strings, toward human-based solutions.

It Eliminates Keyword Stuffing

For years, the key to Amazon performance was squeezing as many high-volume terms into your title as possible. After the introduction of COSMO, this is a liability that can lead to penalties. COSMO has the ability to read your listing like a human and if your copy sounds robotic, it is deemed less relevant to a shopper’s actual needs.

It Powers the Voice of “Rufus”

Think of COSMO as the brain and Rufus (Amazon’s AI shopping assistant) as the voice. When a customer asks Rufus for the “best yoga mat for someone with bad knees,” Rufus queries COSMO’s Knowledge Graph. If your listing only says “thick yoga mat” but doesn’t explicitly mention the benefit for joint support, Rufus won’t recommend your listing.

It Analyses Search Buy Behaviour

COSMO builds semantic links based on what people actually do. If users search for “yoga mats” but frequently buy “yoga grip socks” in the same session, COSMO creates a link between these items in its Knowledge Graph, understanding they are contextually related even if they belong to different categories.

How to Optimise for the “Answer Engine” Era

To optimise your search results on the amazon cosmo platform, you must shift your focus from technical specifications to intent-driven “Use Cases”.

Prioritise Intent Nodes

Intent nodes refers to a tool that explicitly maps your product’s physical attributes to a user’s “Why,” securing a high-confidence recommendation. Instead of just listing material or thickness (e.g., “6mm TPE”), sellers should highlight the human-based solution (e.g., “extra-cushioned support to protect sensitive knees”). 

Lower Hallucination Risk with Literal Data

AI assistants like Rufus are intentionally conservative, which means they they avoid recommending listings they cannot explain with confidence, these are categorised as a “Hallucination Risk”. According to The 2024 Gartner CIO Generative AI Survey , the biggest risk from the AI-driven platform is reasoning errors from hallucinations (59% of respondents). So, how do you avoid this?

Be Explicitly Literal: Use “if/then” logic to match products to needs (e.g., “If you are looking for joint protection during floor poses, then our mat provides impact absorption to reduce knee strain”).

Verification through Consistency: Ensure your A+ content, bullet points, and lifestyle imagery tell the same story. If your listing text promises “superior grip for difficult yoga poses,” your photos must clearly show a practitioner holding a steady, advanced pose on the mat.

Final COSMO Takeaway

The core takeaway for performing on Amazon COSMO, is that keyword stuffing is now a liability. Success on is found by providing Intent Nodes that ensure your products solves a shoppers specific problem, which then causes your listings to be mapped accurately on the Knowledge Graph. Ultimately, brands that bridge the gap between physical attributes and the shopper’s underlying “Why” will secure the top-tier recommendations that drive growth in an AI-driven environment. For a broader look at how this shift impacts your entire brand, we explore the Amazon Flywheel strategy and how to accelerate growth with COSMO insights in this related guide.

If you have any queries about selling on Amazon or anywhere else, Market Rocket can offer you a free consultation. You can email us at amazon@marketrocket.co.uk  or call 02037459090.