Amazon Unveils AI Shopping Assistant Rufus in India
Amazon has launched its artificial intelligence (AI) shopping assistant Rufus in beta to users in India. The chatbot, integrated into the Amazon mobile app, can answer user queries, suggest product recommendations, and compare different products to help users make better-informed decisions.
Rufus was first unveiled in February in beta and was available only to users in the US. The e-commerce giant has now expanded the feature to a subset of Amazon mobile app users in India, with plans to roll it out to more users in the coming weeks.
To access Rufus, users will see a new icon on the bottom right corner of the app. Clicking the icon will open Rufus’ interface as a bottom sheet, where users can type queries or take the help of suggested questions. The chatbot can be used while shopping product categories, asking for gift suggestions, comparing different products, seeking recommendations, and asking questions about a specific product.
Rufus’ database includes Amazon’s repository, and it can also access the Internet to find relevant answers to user queries. However, the company acknowledged that the chatbot can sometimes get things wrong and hallucinate. If this happens, users can leave feedback by rating the answers with a thumbs up or thumbs down, or provide detailed feedback.
The name Rufus has an interesting history. According to The New York Times, Amazon has a policy that allows its employees to bring their dogs to the workplace. Rufus is said to be the name of one of the first dogs that roamed the offices during the early days of the company.
With Rufus, Amazon aims to provide users with a more personalized and efficient shopping experience. The chatbot’s ability to answer user queries and provide product recommendations can help users make better-informed decisions, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
