Amazon’s up-to-date AI guides can support shoppers find what they need

Amazon has a up-to-date shopping tool that uses artificial intelligence to support customers quickly find products based on the specific features they need. “Shopping guides” based on artificial intelligence are currently rolling out in the US on Amazon’s mobile website and iOS and Android apps, presenting users with more tailored product information and recommendations as they browse.

Amazon said in its announcement that AI Guides are available for more than 100 types of products, including TVs, headphones, running shoes, skin care products and more. According to Amazon, they should include “educational content” about these products along with customer insights that “will help you make informed purchasing decisions.”

For example, selecting a headphone shopping guide will display a selection of products that are recommended based on popularity, customer reviews, and price. Below are “factors to consider” options that allow you to divide your products into specific categories by factors such as brand, apply case (sports, gaming, students) or connectivity type (wired, wireless, USB).

Essentially, it’s a more visual way of filtering products compared to the exhaustive checkbox menus we’re familiar with. This should support users better understand what features are available for products they know little about, and what those features actually mean, rather than simply being faced with a wall of options. However, the UI takes up significantly more screen space, and it’s unclear whether users can disable this feature if it becomes annoying.

AI shopping guides will automatically appear for auto-completed search suggestions “where applicable”, according to Amazon or may be explored directly here to see what guides are available. Clicking the “Continue Shopping” tab on Amazon’s home page will also bring up AI shopping guides that relate to recent purchases.