Amazon Fired A new AI-powered feature released Tuesday allows users to ask questions about products and receive conversational voice responses generated in real time. The responses are delivered by what the company calls “AI-powered shopping experts,” who present the information in a natural discussion-style format.
The new “Join Chat” feature aims to save customers time by providing key product details without requiring them to scroll through lengthy descriptions or reviews. AI collects insights about product features, customer feedback, and other relevant information. For example, shoppers can ask questions like whether a coffee maker is beginner-friendly or whether a sweater is itchy based on customer reviews.
Instead of providing generic answers, Amazon says the AI builds on previous responses to provide more relevant and useful information, while also making sure nothing is repeated. This should be a similar experience to speaking with a knowledgeable employee in a store.
“Customers can ask questions and virtually guide the conversation. Every question they ask influences what comes next, making for a conversational experience customers can join and personalize,” the company wrote in a blog post.
“Join Chat” is part of a broader experience called “Listen to the highlights“, which provides short audio summaries of millions of product pages within the Amazon Shopping app. This feature began testing last May and is currently available in the US, however, only select products contain audio summaries.
To use this feature, customers open the product page in the app and tap the “Hear Highlights” button located below the product image. From there, they can listen to a brief overview or tap the “Join Chat” icon to ask specific questions via text or voice message. Audio can continue to play even while users are browsing.
The new capability builds on Amazon’s growing suite of AI-driven shopping tools. These companies include Rufus, an innovative AI assistant that helps customers research products and compare options; Interests, which constantly tracks and displays new items in accordance with shopper preferences; and “Help me decide,” which suggests products based on a person’s searches, browsing, and shopping history.
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