Months after Amazon released a beta version of its AI-powered shopping assistant, Rufus, the online retail giant announced on Friday that the chatbot is now available to all US shoppers.
The announcement comes just days before Amazon Prime Day, the company's biggest sales event of the year, and Amazon said Rufus is already helping customers with a wide range of inquiries.
Shoppers are already asking chatbots “tens of millions of questions” about topics like product details, recommendations, and product updates.
“Customers ask Rufus questions like, 'Is this coffee maker easy to clean and maintain?' or 'Is this mascara a clean beauty product?' They also find out more about products by clicking on related questions that Rufus displays in the chat window, for example, 'What is the backpack made of?'” the company said in a press release.
Amazon says shoppers can also compare products by asking Rufus questions like, “What's the difference between a gas and a wood-fired pizza oven?”
Some Amazon customers are using the shopping assistant to ask questions about their orders, including questions like, “When was the last time you ordered sunscreen?”
For grocery shoppers, the chatbot can answer questions that Amazon says are obviously unrelated to shopping.
“Customers interested in cookware might first ask, 'What do I need to make a soufflé?' Preparing for special occasions is also popular among customers, with shoppers asking questions like, 'What do I need for a summer party?'” the retail giant said in a press release.
The technology comes at a time when other grocers are rolling out their own AI assistants.
On Wednesday, e-commerce platform eGrowcery launched an AI-powered recipe tool that allows shoppers to search for meals, provide complete recipes, and then add all the ingredients to their virtual cart with one click.
