Tuesday, 31th August 2021 our second beta version of the Green Consumption Assistant went online in the Chrome Store named „Koala – Ecosia Assistant”! Now, you can install the browser extension and test it for free.
What’s new?
- A smart design:
The browser extension contrasts with the design used by Ecosia and the „Koala” assistant has besides its friendly face also recognition value. In addition, after numerous user tests, the display of the recommendations for action has been adapted to the needs of the users. - More products:
In our first test version, we focused just on smartphones. Now, thanks to advanced machine learning, the Koala also recognises purchase intentions for the categories of electronics (smartphones, printers, laptops, headphones) and fashion (shoes, jackets, dresses, t-shirts, jeans, socks,…) and suggests more sustainable models, as well as alternative actions such as repair options, based on our expanding database. - It is cross-platform:
The assistant already recognises product requests (categories as well as specific models) on Ecosia, Google, eBay, Amazon, and Zalando. - Planning trees for shopping:
If the user decides to buy a product, the assistant generates money through a growing number of shopping partners, which is used by Ecosia to plant trees.
And what happens now?
- We are also using the second test phase to collect feedback from real users and to understand the wishes and expectations of consumers. That is the only way to create a product with an additional benefit.
- The beta version also offers many opportunities to learn about our technology: with more search requests and interactions with the Koala, we can analyse data to improve continuously, for example, the recognition of purchase intentions and the recommendation of suitable products through artificial intelligence (or machine learning).
- The development of our sustainability database is of immense interest to us: By cooperating with many partners and our scientists, we are improving scaled and automated processes for the collection of product and sustainability information that has been difficult to obtain so far.
- Having a greater pool of available information allows us to identify and suggest more products and product alternatives. Other platforms will also be added to the repertoire.
- In the long term, we want to integrate Extention’s functionalities into existing products, such as Ecosia’s search engine, to help users consume more sustainably.