Amazon Q is an AI chatbot for businesses, and Aussies can test it now

AWS just announced Amazon Q, a new AI chatbot aimed at enhancing business operations on its platform. Revealed at its re:Invent conference in Las Vegas, Amazon Q’s focus on business applications sets Amazon Q apart in the AI chatbot landscape.

Targeted at business use, Amazon Q provides functionalities such as coding assistance, streamlined AWS cloud services navigation, and business report generation through QuickSight, AWS’s business intelligence platform.

Amazon Q is also integrated with Amazon Connect, aiming to bolster customer service capabilities. It can be customised through proprietary data and tailored to different employee roles. According to Amazon, there are also robust security features in place to support these data-driven features.

Running on a variety of AI large language models (LLMS) like Amazon’s Titan — and well-known AI startups such as Cohere and Anthropic — Amazon Q says it offers versatility in its responses. A company using the tool will be able to choose which model answers its query or allow it to choose what it thinks is the best option.

AWS’s entry into the AI chatbot market with Amazon Q comes at a time of heightened AI activity, with competitors like Microsoft and Google rapidly integrating AI into their offerings.

But despite this competition in the market, Amazon Q does allow for integration, offering over 40 in-built connectors with enterprise systems such as Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft SharePoint and Google Drive.

The company’s recent advancements in AI, highlighted by its new AI chips like Graviton 4 and Trainium 2, underline its commitment to improving AI capabilities. These chips are designed for better performance and energy efficiency, key for AI applications.

According to Amazon, Graviton 4’s performance is 30% improved on the previous generation and Trainium 2 is four times faster and two times as energy efficient as the first model.

Amazon Q’s introduction is a strategic move by AWS, aiming to solidify its position in the AI-powered business tools sector. Its alignment with business-specific needs, combined with AWS’s emphasis on stable and secure cloud services, positions Amazon Q uniquely in the market.

It also comes at a time where, according to recent research, 19% of SMEs in Australia are currently using AI are 21% plan on integrating it in the future.

When can Australians get Amazon Q and what is the price?

At the present time, select Amazon customers all over the world — including in Australia and New Zealand — can access Amazon Q in preview. This is akin to a beta program for AWS. This allows customers to provide feedback on the product so it can be tweaked ahead of its official launch.

There is no official release date for Amazon Q yet, either in the US or Australia. AWS’ preview periods can last anywhere from a few months to one-to-two years. It would be surprising for the latter to be the case considering the rapid movement of the AI space globally, and tech giants scrambling for market share.

What we do know is that there are currently two pricing options for Amazon Q — a ‘Business’ plan which is US$20 per month per user and a ‘Builder’ plan, which comes in at US$25 per month per user. It’s currently unclear exactly how much it will be in Australia.