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Amazon has added an AI-powered shopping tool in its app that lets users ask questions about products and hear responses in spoken form almost immediately. The system aggregates data from the product page, including device features, customer reviews, and related information, to answer very specific questions—such as whether a coffee machine is suitable for beginners or whether a sweater might cause itching based on user feedback. The tool’s responses are spoken, and it remembers the content of the exchange to tailor subsequent answers, avoiding repetition. The goal is to recreate the experience of talking to a knowledgeable store associate, with the conversation potentially changing based on what the buyer cares about. In the introductory post, Amazon said customers can steer the flow of the conversation themselves. Each new question will influence the next part of the answer, turning this into a dialogue that users can participate in and adjust to their needs.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
