Amazon’s AI Shopping Assistant

Amazon has introduced a new AI-based shopping assistant for its customers in Germany and Austria. This assistant is designed to help answer questions about products offered on the platform. The assistant, named “Rufus,” was initially available only to selected test customers in a beta version. Now, it is accessible to all customers through an icon in the lower right corner of the official Amazon shopping app.

Once activated, Rufus starts a text chat where users can ask questions about products. These questions can go beyond the technical specifications usually provided on Amazon’s website. For example, users might inquire about information found in the product’s manual. Rufus is also intended to offer general shopping advice.

Rufus can be used to compare different products and provide specific guidance at the start of a buying decision. For instance, a user might ask, “What do I need to make smoothies?” Amazon acknowledges that this technology is still in its early stages and may not always provide accurate answers. However, the company is committed to continuously improving its AI models and optimizing responses, making Rufus more helpful over time.

Customers are encouraged to provide feedback using a thumbs-up or thumbs-down system. They can also leave comments to help Amazon refine the service.

In early October, Amazon began offering shopping guides created with generative AI for selected product categories in the USA. These “AI Shopping Guides” are currently available only to US customers on mobile devices running Android and iOS.