Amazon AI assistant, Rufus sparks debate over its behavior

There’s a buzz about Rufus, Amazon’s latest AI shopping sidekick, hitting the scene officially, according to a new report by Reuters. Rufus isn’t just about raking in cash for Amazon; it’s also meant to lend a hand to Amazon users, guiding them through their shopping journey.

According to Amazon, Rufus has been schooled using its product listings, customer feedback, community questions, and even web data. But what really sets Rufus apart is Amazon’s treasure trove of user purchasing habits and personal data, giving it a leg up against AI competitors like Google and Microsoft.

Rufus, currently in beta (but hitting the big time in the next few weeks), is all about tackling specific queries, dishing out comparisons, offering recommendations, and helping customers seal the deal successfully.

Reuters reports states, “Amazon has a history of steering customers towards products that most benefit Amazon, either because they are more profitable or are backed by advertising dollars.”

So, bottom line—can we really rely on Rufus to make the best shopping calls for us, or is it just looking out for Amazon’s bottom line? While we know Rufus was trained on Amazon’s catalog, reviews, and community chats, Amazon’s keeping mum about the nitty-gritty of the bot’s algorithm.

Michael Pachter, a Wedbush Securities analyst, said, “You’ll most likely get sponsored results. Advertising drives retail and Amazon is no different – why do you think they are generating tens of billions of dollars in advertising a year?”

According to the article, Amazon is fighting against an antitrust lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC claims that the company operates a “pay-to-play” scheme, where products get top billing based on how much marketers are willing to shell out.

According to the article, Amazon is fighting against an antitrust lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC claims that the company operates a “pay-to-play” scheme, where products get top billing based on how much marketers are willing to shell out.

The agency accuses Amazon of often promoting its own brands at the top of search results, even if there are better quality or cheaper options available. Amazon has denied these allegations and plans to fight the lawsuit in court.