On Thursday, Amazon unveiled a new artificial intelligence assistant for shopping named Rufus. This tool is crafted to assist users in searching and purchasing products. When shoppers input a question either through typing or voice commands into the search bar within Amazon’s mobile app, a chat window will emerge at the bottom of their screen.

Users have the capability to pose conversational inquiries, such as, “What differentiates trail and road running shoes?” or “Compare drip and pour-over coffee makers.”

Rufus, Testing New AI Features

In a blog post, Amazon stated, “Rufus significantly enhances the simplicity with which customers can identify and explore the optimal products to fulfill their requirements.” Rufus utilizes Amazon’s product catalog, customer reviews, Q&As, and information sourced from various online platforms to respond to user queries, according to the company.

Amazon has conveyed that it is currently conducting trials of this feature with a limited group of users in the United States, with the intention of a nationwide rollout in the upcoming weeks.

CEO Andy Jassy has articulated the company’s strategic intent to integrate generative AI throughout all its business domains. An update on Amazon’s advancements in AI is anticipated to be provided during the announcement of its fourth-quarter earnings after the close of the market on Thursday.

In recent months, Amazon has introduced several generative AI tools and services in recent months, capitalizing on the hype sparked by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company has experimented with AI tools designed to address shoppers’ inquiries, condense reviews, and facilitate third-party sellers in composing listings.

Beyond its retail operations, Amazon has unveiled Q, a chatbot tailored for businesses, and Bedrock, a generative AI service catering to its cloud customers.

Conclusion

Amazon has launched Rufus, an AI assistant, to make shopping easier. Rufus uses conversations to help users find products. Amazon is testing it with a small group in the U.S. before a wider release. CEO Andy Jassy plans to expand generative AI across Amazon’s operations, with updates expected in the Q4 earnings report. 

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