Amazon has officially rolled out its generative AI-powered conversational shopping assistant, Rufus, to all U.S. customers just in time for its 10th annual Prime Day sales event on July 16. Initially launched in beta for a select group of users in February 2024, Rufus is now available to all U.S. app users. To access Rufus, customers need to ensure their Amazon Shopping app is up to date and tap the Rufus icon in the navigation bar to start their shopping queries.
Enhancing the Shopping Experience
Rajiv Mehta, VP of Search and Conversational Shopping at Amazon, expressed excitement about the broader availability of Rufus. “While it’s still early days for both generative AI and Rufus, we’re excited to hear customers are using Rufus to help them make more informed shopping decisions,” Mehta said in a blog post. He added that as Amazon continues to improve Rufus, they look forward to seeing how customers will use it to find exactly what they need in the store.
Capabilities of Rufus
Since its beta launch, customers have posed tens of millions of questions to Rufus. This AI assistant goes beyond typical product searches and can handle a variety of queries:
- Specific Product Questions: Rufus provides answers based on product listing details, customer reviews, and community Q&As.
- Product Selection Advice: For example, customers can ask, “What are the best wireless outdoor speakers?” or “What are the best lawn games for kids’ birthday parties?”
- Feature Comparisons: Questions like “What’s the difference between gas and wood-fired pizza ovens?” or “Compare OLED and QLED TVs” can be easily addressed.
- Order Tracking: Customers can inquire about their orders, such as “Where is my order?” or “When are my dog treats arriving?”
- General Advice: Rufus can also answer broader questions not directly tied to shopping, such as “What do I need to make a soufflé?” or “What do I need for a summer party?”
AI-Powered Shopping Assistants in Retail
Amazon is not alone in exploring AI-powered chatbots to enhance the online shopping experience. Other leading retailers, including Walmart and Ikea, have also been testing similar technologies to provide customers with a more interactive and efficient shopping experience.
Conclusion
The introduction of Rufus marks a significant step forward in leveraging AI to improve online shopping. By making Rufus widely available, Amazon aims to help customers make better-informed decisions, streamline their shopping experience, and ultimately find exactly what they need with ease. As AI continues to evolve, tools like Rufus are likely to become integral to how we shop online.
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