While shopping for products on Amazon, you habitually scan through the review section. We all trust the first-hand experiences of previous purchasers before making our decision. However, sifting through thousands of reviews turns out to be a time-intensive ordeal for most of us.
Well, Amazon is all set to revolutionize the review game by leveraging the power of AI. The tech giant is already experimenting with cutting-edge AI technology to streamline the sifting through user feedback.
If successful, this will spare precious time and effort for its shoppers as they scrutinize the products.
For instance, Amazon has more than 4,000 user ratings on Apple’s third-generation AirPods. Amazon has left an AI-generated review to summarize the performance of the AirPods.
The general overview is positive, and the product has mostly received praise from customers. Users also left positive reviews for the exceptional sound quality and long-lasting battery life of the AirPods.
However, there are some mixed reviews, too, as some customers have expressed concerns over durability, fit, performance, value, and comfort. Along with the summary, there’s a disclaimer stating that it is AI-generated based on the text of customer reviews.
Amazon Keen To Use Generative AI To Enhance User Experience
In a statement to a leading news channel, Amazon said, “We are significantly investing in generative AI across all of our businesses”. They referred to technology such as ChatGPT and other generative AI. This highlights Amazon’s consistent efforts to incorporate generative AI into its operational processes to strengthen customers and quickly evaluate the pros and cons of different products. However, this sophistication shouldn’t blind buyers to the limitation of generative AI.
For starters, the AI language may not always be intuitive. For instance, in the AirPods review, the blurb states, “All customers who mentioned stability had a negative opinion about it”.
Even with other AI tools that were trained with massive volumes of data to generate intelligent responses, there were concerns about the accuracy and tone of the summaries.
A senior analyst at ABI Research, a market research firm, Reece Hayden, questioned whether the tool could effectively identify fraudulent or bot-created reviews. The summaries might automatically reflect fake feedback from customers. He also added that both customers and merchants would be worried about the possibility of hallucinations.
Other E-commerce Giants Also Experimenting With AI
While Amazon has been leading the experiments with AI, other eCommerce retailers are not far behind. Instacart and Shopify are also integrating generative AI into the shopping experience.
Besides, eBay has recently introduced an AI tool that would assist sellers in developing descriptions for their product listings.
Amazon is also reportedly working on technologies similar to ChatGPT for its eCommerce store. The company plans to use generative AI to enable a home robot to communicate in an interactive language.
Recently, Dave Limp, senior VP of devices and services, revealed the company’s grand plans to incorporate generative AI into virtual assistant Alexa. This would enable users to interact with the technology naturally.
Amazon is among the largest global companies, and its approach to AI can determine AI’s future.
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Krishi Chowdhary
Journalist
