Amazon has launched Rufus, a new AI-powered shopping assistant, in the UK.
This innovative tool aims to enhance the shopping experience by providing personalised recommendations, product comparisons, and answers to customer queries, all within the Amazon mobile app.
Key Takeaways
- Rufus is an AI-powered shopping assistant integrated into the Amazon mobile app.
- Initially available to a subset of UK customers, with a wider rollout planned.
- Provides personalised recommendations, product comparisons, and answers to shopping queries.
- Utilises Amazon’s product catalogue and information from across the web.
Introduction to Rufus
Amazon has introduced Rufus, a generative AI-powered conversational shopping assistant, to the UK market. Initially launched in the US, Rufus is now available in beta to a select group of UK customers via the Amazon mobile app. The assistant leverages Amazon's extensive product catalogue and web information to answer a wide range of customer questions, making the shopping experience more intuitive and efficient.
Features of Rufus
Rufus offers a variety of features designed to assist customers at different stages of their shopping journey:
- Product Research: Customers can ask general questions like “Types of headphones” or “Types of coffee machines” to receive helpful information.
- Occasion-Based Shopping: Rufus can suggest products based on specific activities or events, such as “What do I need for climbing?” or “I want to start an indoor garden.”
- Product Comparisons: Users can compare different products by asking questions like “What’s the difference between lip gloss and lip oil?”
- Detailed Product Information: Rufus can provide specific details about products, such as whether a jacket is machine washable or if a drill is easy to hold.
Benefits for Customers
Rufus aims to save customers time and enhance their shopping experience by:
- Quickly finding the products they need without extensive browsing.
- Providing personalised recommendations and detailed product information.
- Offering a more engaging and intuitive way to shop online.
How to Access Rufus
To use Rufus, customers in the beta can simply click on the icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the Amazon mobile app. A chat box will appear, allowing users to ask questions, tap on suggested queries, and ask follow-up questions. If users prefer traditional search results, they can easily return by swiping down to close the chat box.
Future Developments
Amazon is committed to continuously improving Rufus and exploring new ways to leverage generative AI technology. Customers are encouraged to provide feedback to help refine the assistant’s capabilities. The company plans to progressively roll out Rufus to more customers in the coming weeks, aiming to make the shopping experience even more seamless and efficient.
Rufus represents a significant step forward in Amazon’s use of AI to enhance customer experiences, building on over 25 years of AI innovation within the company.
Sources
- Amazon announces the launch of Rufus, a new generative AI-powered conversational shopping assistant, in the UK, About Amazon UK.
- Move aside, Alexa! Amazon launches new AI-powered assistant Rufus in the UK - here's how you can try it | Daily Mail Online, Daily Mail.
- Amazon launches AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus in the UK, Andover Advertiser.
- Amazon launches AI shopping assistant Rufus in the UK, Yahoo Finance.
- Amazon launches AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus in the UK, Yahoo Finance UK.
