Amazon’s AI chatbot will help you shop. Just don’t ask it for a ‘dupe.’

It’s worth noting that the Rufus recommendation for leggings similar to Lululemon pants — “Crz Yoga Women’s Naked Feeling Workout Leggings” — are very similar to the Lululemons.

I tried asking Rufus for items that people on social media often seek “dupes” for, like Drunk Elephant skincare (popular with the preteen and teen set at Sephora), Ugg boots, and Adidas Samba sneakers. Nope, nope, and nope. Rufus refused my requests for “dupes,” although it would happily offer up alternate products if I asked for a cheaper version of any brand-name product — without using the word “dupe.”

The popularity of these look-for-less items, often fueled by TikTok, could very well be driving a lot of sales for Amazon: The CRZ leggings Rufus recommended have more than 10,000 reviews on the platform.

It’s unclear exactly what Amazon’s parameters are for a product to be considered a “dupe.” The e-commerce giant works to take down counterfeit items and products that violate copyright or intellectual property. And Amazon’s policies forbid sellers from using the term “dupe” in their product names or descriptions.

Amazon has warehouses full of products that aren’t brand names people would immediately recognize — but might be similar to them. There is a wide array of yoga leggings in the $30 range from brands you’ve never heard of, like “CRZ.” How is a shopper supposed to know which one to buy? In theory, Rufus should be able to help — AI should help people compare similar items and answer questions about the products.

Still, Amazon’s AI likely won’t give you the juicy reviews you really want — like the ones of TikTokers who recommend women’s fashion, or a YouTuber who compares vacuums. They have the editorial freedom to speak openly about whether a product is a high-quality replica of a more expensive version. For now, Amazon’s Rufus probably won’t.