CLEVELAND — Are you tired of spending hours hunting for the best deal, only to find out later you could’ve paid less or gotten something better for your budget?
Artificial intelligence technology promises to take the work out of bargain hunting, helping shoppers find the lowest prices in seconds.
One of those tools is Rufus, built into Amazon. The feature uses AI to help users search for products based on detailed prompts.
Rufus is just one of several tools aimed at helping consumers save.
AI isn’t just helping online. It’s also changing the way people shop in stores.
If you have the free Walmart app, the company’s built-in AI technology can help locate items on your list, and even identify in-store discounts.
“It knows you are in that store and there’s going to be rollbacks in that store that may not be at other stores,” Mark Rickel with Walmart said.
That same tool can also reveal when a product on your list is on sale.
Like Amazon’s Rufus, Walmart’s AI companion Sparky can assist shoppers in other ways. It can plan parties, recommend items, and stay within budget.
“With this transition to generative AI we’re able to do better and more effective searching,” said Michael Goldberg, professor in the Department of Design and Innovation at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management.
He said as a cost-saving tool, AI works.
“Many folks are embracing AI. Many folks are using it to effectively comparison shop.”
Another free tool making waves is Bakebot.ai, a kitchen companion that can help create and modify recipes in real time.
“It’ll brainstorm with you ideas and it will also change the recipe for you in real time,” co-founder Babette Pepaj said.
The tool can even suggest cheaper ingredient swaps.
“It’ll tell you which ingredient you can find a cheaper product (for) that is U.S. based.”
From the grocery aisle to the gift list, AI is becoming the newest money-saving assistant, helping consumers find better deals without endless scrolling or coupon clipping.
