Amazon.com launched a generative AI chatbot to its app just in time for its annual Prime Day sales event.
The chatbot, called Rufus, is in the bottom right corner of the app, marked with an orange, teal and star icon. On a product page, a shopper can tap on the icon and ask the chatbot questions about the product. The chatbot will answer using generative AI based on information in the product listing, customer reviews, and question and answer section.
For example, a shopper could ask about how easy a coffee pot is to clean and the chatbot will respond with an aggregated answer from reviews.
Beyond this, the chatbot can also answer more complex questions including comparing products and fashion trends, such as, “Should I get trail shoes or running shoes?” and “What are denim trends for women?” What’s more, the chatbot can suggest products for a task or event, such as “What do I need for a 2-year-olds birthday party?”
Since Amazon began testing the feature in Q1 2024, tens of millions of shoppers have asked the generative AI chatbot a question, according to Amazon.
A number of retailers have introduced generative artificial intelligence chatbots to their shopping experience, such as to answer complex product questions or even to negotiate prices. Prior to generative AI, customer service chatbots were a common application of retailer chatbots.
Amazon’s chatbot can handle the basic customer service inquiries as well, such as, where is my order and when is my package arriving questions.
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