Ecommerce platform Lazada Group has announced the launch of an AI chatbot in Southeast Asia powered by the OpenAI ChatGPT tech in Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. Entitled LazzieChat, the solution can answer users’ shopping queries on the Lazada platform to offer an engaging, informed, and personalised shopping experience.

LazzieChat capabilities and AI’s effect in ecommerce Based on the information provided in the press release, LazzieChat intelligently responds to users’ questions and acts as a personal shopper, providing personalised suggestions alongside product recommendations to assist users in optimizing their shopping experience. As of now, the service is available in Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia. LazzieChat is believed to be particularly useful for fast-moving consumer goods categories of the likes of fashion and beauty, which are amongst the top items purchased on Lazada.

Additionally, brands and sellers leveraging the platform are also enabled to take advantage of LazzieChat, as it helps grow product visibility and is available around the clock. The solution leverages Lazada’s proprietary AI technology and platform, complemented by Azure OpenAI Service’s natural language capabilities. It can understand and respond to queries naturally and suggest relevant products or topics that might be of interest to the user.

Additionally, it can look up product descriptions and link products available on Lazada directly in the chat console, so that users are informed and can shop in a quick, convenient, and confident manner. As of now, LazzieChat is available in English in Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, with the latter having an additional Bahasa Indonesia version, and more languages are set to be rolled out in the time to come. The solution can be accessed by swiping down Lazada’s app homepage.

Although LazzieChat’s algorithms comply with Lazada’s trust and safety policies, Lazada recognises the challenges that come alongside the continuous development of natural language chatbots, and the company is constantly optimising the solution’s algorithms so that it can respond accordingly and responsibly to user queries. Per the announcement, LazzieChat’s AI is always learning and is set to keep on improving as user interaction grows. Howard Wang, Chief Technology Officer at Lazada Group said that the company is amongst the first ecommerce ones in Southeast Asia to integrate ChatGPT in Azure OpenAI Service within their chatbot and is looking forward to providing its users with LazzieChat as part of its ongoing investments in tech to create a high-quality digital ecosystem that is set up for long-term growth.

As online shopping journeys are increasingly dynamic due to tech, the company aims to ‘bridge the gap’ between offline and online shopping by offering experiences that consumers love and creating value for brands and sellers who can leverage new technologies to connect to a wider audience. Additionally, the spokesperson believes AI to drive new developments in making online shopping and selling a simplified daily activity for all. Diomedes Kastanis, CTO for Microsoft in Asia Pacific added that by combining Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service’s scale and power with Lazada’s consumer reach, the partnership is set to transform the shopping journey for the latter’s customers, sellers, and brands.

What is more, by leveraging AI, Lazada is set to provide personalised recommendations, improve the customer experience, provide expedited customer assistance, and change the buying experience in the APAC region. .