AWS is adding a generative AI chatbot called Amazon Q to its cloud. Amazon Q must be able to provide advice and support to every employee in the company.

Microsoft has ChatGPT and Google has Bard. Until now, a generative chatbot was missing from AWS’s portfolio. The cloud provider has already launched CodeWhisperer, but this chatbot can only compete with GitHub Copilot and the like. During his keynote at AWS re:Invent, CEO Adam Selipsky showed the world AWS’ answer to ChatGPT: Amazon Q.

AWS may have been late to the game, but ChatGPT has been around for a year now and Selipsky firmly believes his chatbot is better than the competition. He calls Amazon Q the culmination of seventeen years of AI knowledge and experience at AWS. “Competing generative AI chatbots don’t know enough about who you are and what role you play within the organization. Amazon Q is where you work,” says Selipsky.

Expert in everything

Amazon Q, like ChatGPT, works with a question-and-answer chat interface. You ask the chatbot questions in natural language and receive an answer in natural language. According to AWS, the big advantage of Amazon Q is its diverse knowledge. Everyone within the organization must be able to work with the chatbot to solve everyday professional problems.

During the keynote, Selipsky mentioned four specific areas where Amazon Q needs to excel, starting with development. Amazon Q acts as a guide through AWS’ vast cloud ecosystem. The chatbot helps you find the right tools and applications for specific problems and can of course also solve complex development puzzles. AWS claims that Amazon Q, for example, will make it possible to port a thousand Java applications to the latest version of the language in just two days, a process that could take months or years.

Amazon Q also helps with fewer technical problems. Using APIs, you can give the chatbot access to external data sources such as Google and Microsoft applications, Salesforce, Dropbox, etc. The tool can analyze data to answer questions, but also suggest actions itself. AWS promises that the company data you submit to Amazon Q will not be used to further train the system. If Amazon Q detects that you are sharing a data source that you do not actually have access to, it will not share information about it to prevent unauthorized use.

The third and fourth components are business intelligence and customer support. Setting up and analyzing analytics dashboards is just a matter of seconds with Amazon Q. AWS also integrates the tool into its QuickSight platform to ask additional questions about data. With Amazon Connect you can do the same to improve your customer service. Amazon Q relieves your contact centers of standard customer questions, but also intervenes in conversations between employees and customers. The employee then receives a summary and concrete suggestions for follow-up measures.

Amazon Q is available in preview to AWS customers today.