Rufus

Overview

Rufus is Amazon's generative AI-powered conversational shopping assistant, integrated into the Amazon app and website, designed to provide personalized product answers, recommendations, and comparisons using natural language, helping customers discover items and make quicker, more informed purchases by understanding complex questions and summarizing product details and reviews.

Key Features and Functions

  • Conversational Search: Users can ask shopping questions in plain English (e.g., "What are the best noise-canceling headphones for running?") instead of just keywords.
  • Product Research: Helps research product details, compare options, understand materials, and find features relevant to specific activities.
  • Review Summaries: Distills key insights and common themes from customer reviews to help with decision-making.
  • Personalized Recommendations: Offers tailored suggestions based on user needs and past interactions.
  • Contextual Help: Available in the app (chat bubble icon) and on the website (top toolbar) for seamless assistance.

How it Works

  • Rufus uses large language models and Amazon's vast product catalog, customer reviews, Q&As, and web information to generate responses.
  • It interprets user intent to provide direct answers and suggest follow-up questions, making shopping more intuitive and less reliant on traditional search rankings.

    • In essence, Rufus acts as a knowledgeable shopping companion, streamlining the discovery process within the Amazon ecosystem.

How to Use Amazon Rufus

On your desktop or laptop:

  1. Open a web browser and go to Amazon.com.
  2. Go to the top left side of the navigation bar. ...
  3. Click the Rufus button and the Rufus chat window will appear on the bottom left corner of the page.
  4. With the Rufus chat window open, you can ask a question or choose one of the suggested questions.

Can I Access My Chat HIstory?

Yes, here's how you access your chat history on the Amazon Shopping app:

  1. Tap on the Rufus button.
  2. Tap on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner.
  3. Tap Manage chat.

Amazon uses your chats with Rufus to provide context for future responses for up to 28 days.