Overview

Amazon has begun testing Rufus, its generative‑AI shopping assistant, with Canadian mobile‑app users. After fielding tens of millions of queries in the United States, the tool is now in a limited beta in Canada, with a full rollout slated for the coming weeks. Sellers who list on Amazon.ca should prepare for a shift in how shoppers discover products, because Rufus answers natural‑language questions by pulling data directly from listings, reviews and Q&A content.

Key Points

• Beta limited to mobile app — The first phase reaches only a subset of Canadian shoppers using the Amazon app, mirroring the US rollout that started on smartphones.
• AI draws from multiple sources — Rufus compiles answers from product titles, bullet points, descriptions, verified reviews, Q&A threads and publicly available web data, rather than relying solely on keyword matches.
• Conversation‑driven discovery — Shoppers type or speak queries such as “best waterproof speaker for camping,” and Rufus replies with a curated list that reflects intent, not just search terms.
• Data completeness matters — Listings with fully populated attributes, clear feature explanations and robust review counts are more likely to appear in Rufus‑generated responses.
• First non‑US market — Canada serves as the initial international testbed, suggesting Amazon may soon extend Rufus to the UK, Germany, Japan or other marketplaces.
• Seller‑focused AI ecosystem — The launch aligns with Amazon’s broader suite of AI tools, including auto‑generated descriptions and review summarizers, which together reshape both listing creation and buyer decision‑making.

How Rufus Works

1. Query capture — A shopper opens the Amazon app, taps the AI icon, and asks a natural‑language question (e.g., “Which cordless drill has the longest battery life?”). Rufus records the phrasing and intent without requiring exact keywords.
2. Data aggregation — The assistant scans the seller’s catalog for products that match the intent, pulling information from titles, bullet points, detailed descriptions, verified customer reviews, and the Q&A section. For the drill example, Rufus extracts battery specifications listed in the bullet points and highlights from reviews that mention runtime.