The company said the responses draw on product details, customer reviews, and other publicly available information. Rather than restarting or giving generic replies, the system adapts the ongoing script to incorporate each question and provide new, relevant information based on what has already been covered.
“Customers can ask questions and actually steer where the conversation goes. Every question they ask influences what comes next, making the experience a conversation customers can join and customize,” Amazon said.
The feature is designed to reduce the need to scroll through product listings and reviews by consolidating key information into a conversational format. Amazon said the AI is intended to function like a knowledgeable in-store assistant, answering specific questions such as whether a product is beginner-friendly or how it performs in real-world use.
Behind the scenes, the system combines multiple AI components. Each session starts with a generated script summarizing the product. When a question is asked, that script updates in real time, and text-to-speech technology delivers the response in a voice that matches the original audio.
Join the chat builds on Amazon’s broader push into AI-powered shopping tools. The company has already rolled out features such as Rufus, a generative assistant for product research, as well as tools that recommend items based on browsing behavior and preferences.
The new feature is rolling out to U.S. users on iOS and Android starting Tuesday. Shoppers can access it by opening a product page in the Amazon Shopping app, tapping the “Hear the highlights” button, and then selecting the option to join the conversation via text or voice.
The launch expands Amazon’s use of conversational AI directly within the buying process, integrating question-and-answer interactions into the point where purchase decisions are made.
This analysis is based on reporting from Amazon News.
Images courtesy of Amazon.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
