NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon has launched “Alexa+,” a generative-AI infused version of its popular voice assistant, promising improved personality, tone awareness, and even the ability to plan dates. However, users will now need to pay a monthly subscription fee for the upgraded service.
Unlike the original Alexa, which was free on all Alexa-enabled devices, “Alexa+” will cost customers $19.99 per month — although it will remain free for Amazon Prime members, who already pay for benefits such as free delivery. The announcement was made at a recent media event in New York City.
During the event, Amazon executives demonstrated the new features designed to increase sales and device engagement for the ten-year-old digital assistant. According to the company, Alexa+ can converse with a more natural, human-like flow and can learn a user’s preferences, like dietary needs or allergies, over time.
“I’m not just an assistant, I’m your new best friend in the digital world,” Alexa+ stated during a presentation.
Panos Panay, Amazon’s vice president of devices & services, highlighted new functionalities. These include creating study plans, texting babysitters, and arranging rides via Uber for friends. Alexa can also retrieve video from Ring cameras, such as to see if a dog has been walked, and remember handwritten recipes, emails, and other documents shared with it.
“She’s smarter than she’s ever been before, but she’s also approachable,” Panay said.
Alexa is integrated into products such as smart speakers, Amazon’s Fire TVs, and earbuds. Amazon introduced the voice assistant in 2014 with its first Echo device, which responds to voice commands. Panay noted that the company has sold over 600 million Alexa-enabled devices and that user engagement increased by 20% last year compared to 2023, with market research suggesting Alexa holds the largest market share among voice assistants.
The revamped Alexa uses large language models, including those developed by Amazon and Anthropic, a generative AI startup that has received billions in investment from the tech giant. Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s vice president for Alexa and Echo, described Alexa+ as having a “model-agnostic system” that chooses the optimal AI model for each specific task.
“Early access” to Alexa+, now available in English, will begin next month in the U.S., starting with users who own or purchase some of the newest Echo Show devices with on-screen displays. Eligible users will then experience Alexa+ across compatible devices, as well as on their web browser and app. Amazon plans to expand the update internationally and to more devices in stages.
Some of the new features are specifically developed for products with screens. Certain older Echo models will not receive Alexa+, but Amazon has assured that users of those devices can continue using the original assistant. For customers who prefer the original Alexa, that option will remain available, according to a company FAQ.
The announcement came more than a year after Amazon showcased an early version of an AI-infused Alexa at a device unveiling event. At that time, Amazon described a “speech-to-speech” model that would allow Alexa to mimic human attributes, such as laughter and conversational responses like “uh-huh.” Features previously kept under wraps by the company were showcased during this event.
During a demonstration, Panay showed the new Alexa a video of the audience to test its mood-sensing capabilities. Panay asked Alexa+ if the audience “looked pumped.” Alexa+ responded that the room full of journalists were “paying attention to you and excited.”
Like its predecessor, Alexa+ is activated by saying the voice assistant’s name. At the event, executives noted that the wake word only needs to be said once to begin a more extended interaction, though demonstrators sometimes repeated “Alexa” to ensure the voice assistant understood.
Amazon competes in the smart speaker market with Apple and Google. While the company has achieved success in device sales, increasing Amazon purchases through Alexa has been more challenging. Amazon has said customers use Alexa for shopping, though many primarily use it for basic tasks like playing music, answering questions, and checking the weather. The subscription fee for the upgraded Alexa will allow the company to cover the costs of AI development and improve the profitability of its device operations.
