Amazon rolls out ‘Rufus’ generative AI assistant to all U.S. customers
Amazon is moving beyond beta with its latest artificial intelligence tool.
Rufus is a generative AI-based expert shopping assistant trained on Amazon’s product catalog, customer reviews, community Q&As, and information from across the web to answer customer questions on topics such as shopping needs, products, and comparisons; make recommendations based on conversational context; and facilitate product discovery within the mainstream Amazon shopping experience.
Initially launched in beta in February 2024, Rufus is now available to all U.S. customers in the Amazon Shopping app. According to Amazon, customers have already asked Rufus “tens of millions” specific product questions, and Rufus is sharing answers based on information found in product listing details, customer reviews, and community Q&As.
[READ MORE: Amazon releases mobile generative AI shopping assistant]
Sample questions include “Is this coffee maker easy to clean and maintain?”, and customers have been clicking on the related questions that Rufus surfaces in the chat window to learn more about products and tapping on “What do customers say?” to get a quick overview of customer reviews.
Customers also have access to package tracking with Rufus and can ask when to expect their latest order. They also have access to past orders and can ask questions that help them make decisions based on what they’ve ordered previously, such as, “When was the last time I ordered sunscreen?”
U.S. customers can get started using the new AI tool by first making sure their Amazon Shopping app is up-to-date, then tapping the Rufus icon (chat bubbles with sparkle) in the navigation bar at the bottom of their screen. A Rufus chat box will appear, and customers can ask their question or tap one of the suggested questions to begin a conversation.
Other examples of Amazon leveraging generative AI to improve how products are listed and can be searched include a partnership with Nvidia to create a tool that identifies product listings where the content could be improved and automatically generates revised content, additional advanced AI tools designed to streamline the creation and editing of product listings, and AI-enabled features to assist fashion shoppers and sellers, such as personalized size recommendations.
The e-tailer is also letting customers search by image and summarize product reviews with generative AI.
"As we continue to grow and improve upon Rufus, we’re looking forward to seeing how customers continue to use it to find exactly what they need or want in our store," Raijy Mehta, VP, search and conversational shopping, Amazon, said in a corporate blog post.
