Ever noticed that Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant is named “Rufus”? This name has a legendary story behind it — dating back to the early days at Amazon and its one-of-a-kind company culture.
In 1996, when Amazon was not much larger than a startup and had fewer than 20 employees, a Welsh corgi named Rufus became a beloved figure at the company’s first warehouse in Seattle. Rufus wasn’t just an ordinary dog – he was a regular attendee at meetings, a common presence in the office, and a beloved companion to his owners, Eric and Susan Benson, who were among Amazon’s earliest employees.
In fact, the impact of Rufus on Amazon was immense. His presence on-site each day helped set the tone for a dog-friendly culture, the effects of which linger in Amazon’s workplace atmosphere years later. Rufus was so important that when Amazon expanded its offices, the company made sure to include all dogs in its office leases, and employees were allowed to bring more dogs to the office by calling all dogs “Rufus”, to follow the lease contract. Rufus also took part in some key moments, such as the launch of Amazon’s website by “pressing” the keyboard with his paw.
Rufus’ spirit still very much lives on today – hitting the rare 404 error page at Amazon, for instance, instead of becoming irritated by broken links, you are greeted by images of dogs with playful expressions that “help” out at Amazon. This not only eases the annoyance of a broken link, but also showcases the cool, pet-friendly culture at Amazon.
Naming the AI assistant “Rufus” is likely in honor of the original dog who will always hold a firm place in Amazon history. The next time Rufus helps you find that perfect product, remember that he’s carrying on the legacy of one dog who was so much more than just a pet, but a very important part of Amazon’s story.
