SEA ecommerce races to catch up on AI

IN FOCUS

In today’s newsletter, we look at:

• AI’s influence on shopping
• The status of the self-driving car industry

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Hi there,

These days, I rely on Rufus for shopping advice.

No, Rufus isn’t a family member or a friend — it’s Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant.

A year ago, I never would have imagined turning to an AI assistant for help with shopping decisions, but Rufus has made things incredibly convenient.

It provides personalized recommendations for gifts, compares products, and helps me explore various options. What’s even more impressive is its ability to process voice commands for queries.

But it’s not just Amazon that’s tapping into AI innovation — ecommerce giants like Lazada, Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Zalora are also promoting their generative AI tools to attract shoppers and sellers, particularly during major sales events like 11.11.

Yet, despite the hype around AI, there wasn’t the usual buzz this year over the record-breaking sales during this period.

In this week’s Big Story, my colleague Elyssa delves into whether genAI will truly affect shopping habits in Southeast Asia. While the technology is undoubtedly here to stay, adoption has been slow, with both consumers and merchants yet to fully embrace it.

Meanwhile, in this week’s Hot Take, I look at the road ahead for autonomous driving.

— Samreen

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THE BIG STORY

Can AI end the discount wars in SEA ecommerce?

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THE HOT TAKE

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DEEP READS

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