Making Conversation: AskCR is Here.

At Consumer Reports (CR), we’ve been testing for decades—from discovering lead in hair products to determining the most reliable electric SUVs to dropping bike helmets on anvils

Last year, we began a different kind of test: a beta release of AskCR, our expert-powered advice engine. Our goal with AskCR was to build a consumer-first AI experience that delivers CR’s expert advice in a helpful and delightful way.

In short, we wanted to:

  • Do AI differently, with vetted human expertise and pro-consumer understanding
  • Do AI independently, free of undisclosed corporate bias
  • Do AI responsibly, in a way that makes our long-time members and new audiences proud

After 10 months and conversations with over 200,000 users, we’re excited to share that our test has been a success. We’re officially taking AskCR out of beta and releasing it on both our mobile app and website.

AskCR is available now to all CR Digital members, on both the CR mobile app and consumerreports.org.

To maximize our impact, we’re offering a few free messages to anyone using our app.

Our Why, Our How

You might wonder why a non-profit like CR is throwing its hat in the AI ring, especially at a time when new corporate AI products are popping up left and right– some of which are introducing real consumer harms (including those covered by CR’s own team of journalists and policy advocates). You may also wonder how we’re making our AI safe.

Here’s our why: We’re building AskCR because we believe AI isn’t going away and that it’s CR’s responsibility to prove how to do it right by consumers. It’s true that when AI products put corporate interests above those of individuals– i.e. “consumer-second”– they become annoying at best and harmful at worst– hallucinations, deep fakes, unauthorized use of creator content. But as my teammates Ben, Ginny and Leah have shared, we believe this is a bug, not an inherent feature of the technology. If applied correctly, by an independent non-profit working on behalf of consumers–the technology has potential to help people. That’s what we aim to do with AskCR.

As for how we’re deploying AI safely, we’re taking the same safety commitment from CR’s product testing practices and extending it to our software development. To do this, we’re applying best practices—source citation and LLM evaluations with human-in-the-loop processes– to keep AskCR’s generative answers grounded and trustworthy. My teammates Dan and Dustin are writing openly about how we’re architecting, orchestrating, and evaluating AskCR with safety at top of mind. To advance the broader conversation around AI agents and consumer rights, my teammate Andrew is exploring new technical frameworks with academia and other nonprofits.

Our What

My colleagues Ben, Ginny and Leah shared our why. Dan, Dustin, and Andrew shared our how. My role as a product manager is to share our what

Here’s what makes AskCR different: 

  • We give good advice, not sycophantic answers. We didn’t build a generic AI assistant that will always say yes and tell you whatever you want. We built an adviser to tell you what consumers need to know.
  • We honor our expert people over non-vetted sources. Every answer is grounded in the work of our testers, researchers, engineers and investigative journalists. People like CR’s Alex Knizek, Emily A. Thomas, PhD, and many more —with decades of industry experience, advanced degrees, and true credibility in their fields. Not to mention names and bylines to show that we stand behind our work.
  • We put consumers first by keeping AskCR non-profit, ad-free, and independent of brand influence. Many of the AI alternatives out there can’t say the same.

We’ll be doing expanded dives on each of these “product pillars” in upcoming posts. In the meantime, you can see for yourself what makes us different by downloading our app and trying it for free. You may learn something new about which car brand makes the best hybrid family vehicles for towing, which toaster produces the perfect bagel, and how to avoid sunscreens that harm sensitive skin– just some of the many conversations people are having with AskCR every minute, every hour, every day. See it in action.

Trusted Advice Along the Way

CR’s goal has always been to help consumers improve their health, safety, knowledge, and happiness in the marketplace. To meet this mission in a rapidly changing technology and consumer landscape, we are shipping regular improvements to AskCR and continually sharpening the differences between us and corporate-driven AI products. Whatever we do, be it adding new features or leveling up our knowledge systems, we’ll be meeting consumers where they are, delivering trusted advice along the way. We’re eager to hear what you think of AskCR, Version 1.

We’re Hiring

Do you have engineering or product skills and want to help consumers? Come build with us. We’re currently hiring for the following:

Apply directly above and drop us a line at innovationlab@cr.consumer.org for why you want to work with CR.

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