Amazon’s AI Shopping Assistant Rufus is Here to Help You Buy More on Amazon

Amazon has unveiled an AI shopping assistant called Rufus, inspired by the company’s corgi mascot. Rufus is equipped with knowledge from Amazon’s product library, customer reviews, and web data, enabling it to answer queries, offer comparisons, give recommendations, and more. Currently in beta, Rufus is available to select customers and will gradually roll out to more users in the coming weeks. Users with beta access can engage with Rufus by typing or speaking questions into Amazon’s mobile app search bar. A Rufus chat window will appear at the bottom of the screen, allowing users to receive answers, select suggested questions, or ask additional questions.Amazon’s AI chatbot has been answering queries for some users since earlier this month, appearing on product pages. Rufus can address a wide range of questions, including comparisons between trail and road running shoes, suggestions for Valentine’s Day gifts, and specific product inquiries such as the washability of a jacket. The chatbot utilizes details from product listings, customer reviews, and community Q&As to provide accurate responses.The video demonstration shows that suggested questions for Rufus will appear even for simple searches such as “coffee maker.” While the clutter on the screen may not be appealing at first glance, its utility will need to be tested firsthand to gauge its effectiveness.

Author: OpenAI