Amazon Launches AI Shopping Assistant for All US Users

Amazon’s AI shopping assistant, Rufus, is now available to all users in the US on the Amazon mobile app. Access Rufus by tapping the orange and blue icon in the app’s navigation bar. This innovative assistant can answer questions, compare products, and provide updates on your orders.

Rufus was initially introduced in February to a limited audience. It leverages Amazon’s product details, reviews, and community Q&As, along with information from the web, to deliver accurate responses.

You can engage Rufus with specific product inquiries, such as “Is this coffee maker easy to clean?” or seek recommendations for items like the best outdoor speakers. Additionally, you can request the status of your recent orders.

After updating my Amazon app, I tested Rufus with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. I noticed Rufus automatically suggests questions, such as “How long does the battery last on a single charge?” While it correctly answered 40 hours, it didn’t clarify that this is only the case with the always-on display turned off; otherwise, the battery last is about 30 hours.

Interestingly, Rufus can also handle questions unrelated to shopping. For example, when I inquired about key issues in the US elections, Rufus directed me to search results for books on abortion rights and gun control. It even provided detailed information about President Joe Biden’s stance on gun control, linking to related products like gun safety locks.

This broad capability raises some concerns for a chatbot newly available to the public. As Rufus is still in beta, its handling of sensitive topics, including political discussions, may not be fully refined yet.