Amazon.com is planning to introduce a product search feature to its web store, incorporating ChatGPT-style generative artificial intelligence (AI). This move puts Amazon in competition with Microsoft Corp and Google, who are also integrating generative AI into their search engines.
Almost every major player in Big Tech is deeply invested in the AI war, which is currently led by Microsoft, due to its partnership with OpenAI. Even Apple, who historically has been specialising in hardware tech solutions has jumped in, and has been working on a bunch of AI-based features for iOS 17.
Amazon bets big on AI chatbot
Bloomberg News reviewed recent job postings from Amazon that shed light on the company’s intentions. One job listing, seeking a senior software development engineer, reveals that Amazon is “reimagining Amazon Search with an interactive conversational experience.” The goal is to provide users with the ability to find answers to their queries, compare products, and receive personalized recommendations.
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In the job listing, Amazon expresses its desire to recruit top talent across the company to help realize and deliver this vision promptly. The company believes that this endeavour will result in a transformative shift in search, describing it as a “once-in-a-generation transformation for Search.”
In addition, another job posting indicates that Amazon is undertaking an “AI-first initiative” to revamp its search approach. The goal is to leverage cutting-edge deep learning techniques at an extremely large scale to transform the way search is conducted.
When asked about the job listings, Amazon spokesperson Keri Bertolino chose not to provide specific comments but mentioned that the company is making significant investments in generative AI across all its business sectors.
Reshaping Amazon’s core product: Product Search
The integration of conversational product search has the potential to reshape a crucial aspect of Amazon’s core retail operations. The search bar, which has become the primary gateway for millions of shoppers looking for specific products, holds immense importance.
According to a survey conducted by Jungle Scout, a company that develops software for Amazon sellers, more than half of US shoppers now initiate their product searches on Amazon, surpassing the share of those who begin on Google.
Early deployments of generative AI by companies like Microsoft and Google have faced challenges, including errors in response to basic queries. However, these initial efforts also demonstrate the potential for enhanced search experiences that could offer users a more valuable way to find products.
For example, using Microsoft Bing, which is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to search for the five best electric razors yields a list of five products along with reviews from reputable sources like Men’s Health and GQ, along with links to stores where the products can be purchased. In comparison, conducting the same search on Amazon tends to display ads prominently, followed by numerous product listings.
Ads and sponsored content ruined Amazon’s product search
Amazon’s search experience has faced criticism in recent years due to the increased prominence of ads and sponsored content in search results.
Generative AI leverages vast amounts of data to construct large language models capable of generating text or images based on prompts. Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, highlighted the transformative potential of this technology in improving customer experiences during an earnings call.
Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud computing unit, has also announced services that rely on advancements in generative AI, although they are not widely available yet. Additionally, Amazon is exploring the use of similar technology to enhance its Alexa voice assistant and is building a team to leverage AI tools in creating photos and videos for advertising campaigns.
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