Amazon is continuing to integrate AI into its online shopping experience. On Wednesday, the retail giant announced that customers in the US will see AI-generated images when they type product terms into the search bar. But these pictures are not of real-life, non-AI products available for purchase. Instead, they’re meant to illustrate concepts and hone customer searches.
The company says the feature is already rolling out for US shoppers.
The goal of this move is to assist shoppers who may not know the precise terminology for the item they are looking for. Amazon’s examples include “cowl neck” for a type of shirt with a draped collar and “rattan” for a style of couch with woven side panels.
An example of what Amazon’s new AI-image search feature will look like when you use the shopping app.
For searches such as “flannel shirt for women,” the new site feature displays a selection of AI-generated images of different clothing styles that match the query. Selecting an image directs shoppers to more refined search results tailored to that style.
The new feature is only the latest AI-related move by Amazon. The site already features AI-generated review summaries and podcast-style audio product descriptions, and Amazon Lens accesses your device’s camera to scan a product and provide visual matches. Amazon recently replaced its Rufus chatbot with Alexa for Shopping in an attempt to make the process more conversational.
The feature may also create new opportunities for consumer confusion, and early reactions on Reddit suggest some people are already skeptical.
These product pictures are meant to act as visual suggestions to help your overall search and are not, in fact, physical inventory. Shoppers could find themselves gravitating toward an AI-generated image that appears to depict the perfect product, only to learn that the item shown is not an actual product available for purchase on Amazon.
And it’s not clear why the company is using AI-generated images when millions of real product photos already exist in its catalog.
A spokesperson for Amazon didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
