Amazon planning to improve search on its app with ChatGPT-like AI features

By Abhik SenguptaAmazon is the latest tech giant to play around with generative AI as chatbots, including ChatGPT, Bard by Google, and Microsoft Bing Chat become more popular each day. As spotted by Bloomberg, the company has posted multiple job openings for developers to improve the Amazon shopping app’s search with generative AI features.

One of the postings notes the company is “reimagining Amazon Search with an interactive conversational experience.” Amazon already offers a capable virtual assistant, Alexa, though the company is subject to criticism for privacy-related matters.

The exact features coming to the Amazon shopping app remain unclear, but the job postings highlight some bold claims. One of them reads, “We’re looking for the best and brightest across Amazon to help us realise and deliver this vision to our customers right away. This will be a once-in-a-generation transformation for Search.”

Another listing highlights the candidate would be part of “a new AI-first initiative to re-architect and reinvent the way we do search through the use of extremely large scale next-generation deep learning techniques.”

Amazon spokesperson Keri Bertolino told Bloomberg that the company is experimenting with generative AI tools without sharing details about the new job listings. In an email, Bertolino adds, “We are significantly investing in generative AI across all of our businesses.”

The latest job listings may irk many former Amazonians who were recently laid off out of the blue. The company blamed its previous overhiring decisions and poor macroeconomics for the layoffs. Amazon had announced plans to lay off roughly 27,000 employees over the year.

Whenever Amazon decides to roll out the update, we can expect the search to offer some conversational inputs. Right now, the Amazon app and website offer the option to search for products with prices. For instance, users can type in “smartphones under Rs 20,000” and Amazon offers results based on the inputs. Users can further narrow the result with filters.

With ChatGPT-like features, users may be able to understand jargon while purchasing a product. The search may also offer a more precise and relatable list.

Not just Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook) is also planning to enter the generative or conversational AI space with its own product. The Mark Zuckerberg-owned company has had some successful acquisitions, but the company failed to create notable hardware, which it was once inspired to do. Other tech giants like Microsoft and Google are already locked in a battle to offer the best generative AI experience. Microsoft is closely working with Open AI, the company behind the viral ChatGPT chatbot.