On Monday, Amazon India unveiled its Rufus artificial intelligence (AI) assistant on the desktop web interface. The e-commerce leader emphasized that this AI-driven shopping assistant is designed to assist users in making informed choices during the upcoming Prime Day sale from July 12 to July 14. Rufus was initially launched in India in August 2024 but was limited to the mobile app version until now. This latest update significantly broadens its accessibility for desktop users.
Rufus AI Assistant Will Now Be Available on Amazon’s Desktop Interface
The announcement coincided with the Amazon India Prime Day event hosted at the Yashobhoomi convention centre in Delhi NCR. A company spokesperson noted that Rufus is being released to assist customers in discovering the best deals and discounts while using a desktop or laptop.
Rufus AI assistant
Photo Credit: Amazon
Rufus marks Amazon’s initial venture into consumer-focused AI chatbots and was first revealed in February 2024. Initially available only in the US, it later made its way to India’s mobile applications while remaining in beta testing.
When it was launched, Amazon indicated that users could seek product recommendations, inquire about the most significant discounts on specific products, and gather useful tips for making purchases. Rufus also permits follow-up questions and accommodates both text and audio input, although it outputs responses solely in text form.
On the mobile app, Rufus can be accessed via a sparkle icon located in the bottom right corner, featuring two speech bubbles—one in orange and the other in blue. Clicking the icon reveals a bottom sheet layout, enabling users to input queries through text, record voice notes, or select from suggested options available on the interface.
