Amazon is introducing a new phase of AI-powered shopping through the launch of Rufus, their chatbot shopping assistant. Rufus is now available in beta to a limited number of users in the U. S. and will be progressively rolled out nationwide in the coming weeks. To access the tool, "select customers" need to update their Amazon Shopping app. The e-commerce AI bot will utilize Amazon's product catalog, customer reviews, community Q&As on product pages, and information gathered from across the web. Rufus is designed to provide product recommendations, answer specific search queries, and assist with purchasing decisions. Users can engage with Rufus by typing their questions into the search bar on the mobile app, initiating a chat dialogue box.

The bot also offers features like shopping by occasion or purpose, personalized recommendations, and product suggestions for specific individuals. While the name "Rufus" may be linked to an early Amazon employee's dog, its wider implications remain to be seen. Amazon's dominance in product search raises questions about the company's intentions with this AI tool. It may serve as an alternative to Google's search-based shopping recommendations while reducing Amazon's ad spending on the platform. Rufus joins a series of AI-centric shopping tools Amazon has invested in, including AI-generated product summaries. Other companies, such as Google and Walmart, have also introduced AI-powered shopping features. Time will reveal the true impact and potential of Rufus in the realm of AI-powered shopping.