Amazon Is Using AI Podcast Hosts to Sell Adult Diapers and Fake Dog Poop
Amazon has launched a new AI-powered feature called 'Join the chat,' where AI hosts deliver audio summaries of products and answer customer questions in real time. The feature is designed to enhance shopping by allowing users to interact via voice or text during the audio playback. While the tool aims to improve engagement, social media reactions have been skeptical and at times critical.
- ▪Amazon's 'Join the chat' feature uses AI hosts to provide real-time answers about products based on details, reviews, and public information.
- ▪Users can interact with AI hosts by voice or text after tapping the 'Hear the highlights' button in the Amazon Shopping app.
- ▪AI hosts were observed promoting unusual items like fake dog poop and adult diapers, drawing mockery on social media.
- ▪The feature is currently rolling out to US customers on iOS and Android devices.
- ▪Amazon says users can minimize the player and continue listening while browsing the app.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
If you're a big podcast fan who is rapidly running out of new things to listen to, would you be interested in an AI-generated podcast promoting “fake dog poop”? Thanks to Amazon’s new generative AI tool—it’s a real possibility.In recent years, we’ve seen Google NotebookLM show how generative AI can be used to turn existing text content into podcast-style audio output, complete with AI hosts playing off each other, which has been marketed to consumers like college students studying for exams. Now, Amazon is putting generative AI to the task of helping sell products and answer consumers’ questions. Amazon has now launched “Join the chat,” a new interactive feature that allows customers to ask AI hosts questions via text or voice while listening to an audio summary of a product.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at PCMag.com - Technology Product Reviews, News, Prices & Tips.
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