Despite these limitations, Amazon is promising improvements to Rufus, which is currently in beta and only available to select U.S. customers. The company has not yet clarified how it is using customer data or what safeguards it has in place for children using the chatbot. The current version of Rufus has been compared to ChatGPT, fine-tuned on shopping data, and bolted onto the Amazon storefront.
Key takeaways:
- Amazon has launched a new AI-powered chatbot, Rufus, inside the Amazon Shopping app for Android and iOS to help find and compare products as well as provide recommendations on what to buy.
- Rufus can be summoned in two ways on mobile: by swiping up from the bottom of the screen while browsing Amazon’s catalog or by tapping on the search bar, then one of the blue-bubbled suggestions under the new “Ask a question” section.
- Rufus has a few key areas of focus, starting with product research. It can provide advice on what to consider when buying a specific product or recommend items needed for a project.
- Despite some limitations and inaccuracies in its responses, Amazon promises improvements to Rufus, which is currently in beta and rolling out only to select U.S. customers.