Amazon has introduced Alexa+, a significantly enhanced version of its popular voice assistant. This new iteration utilizes generative AI to offer a more intelligent, conversational, and personalized user experience. Alexa+ is designed to assist users with a wide array of tasks, including entertainment, home management, shopping, and making reservations.
Smarter Conversations with Alexa+
Alexa+ is designed to understand more natural language, including casual speech, incomplete thoughts, and complex ideas. This makes interactions feel more fluid and less robotic than previous versions. Whether a user needs a quick answer, a personalized recommendation, or help managing a complex task, Alexa+ is designed to respond in a way that resembles a helpful friend.
Turn Words into Actions
Unlike its predecessors, Alexa+ can now control thousands of services and smart devices. Its capabilities include:
- Control of smart home devices (Philips Hue, Roborock, and others)
- Making reservations (OpenTable, Vagaro)
- Security monitoring (Ring alerts, package tracking)
- Music playback (Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music)
- Ordering food and groceries (Grubhub, Uber Eats, Whole Foods)
- Managing schedules and reminders (Ticketmaster alerts, calendar updates)
Navigating the Internet for You
With its new self-directed capabilities, Alexa+ can find services online without explicit user input. For example, if your oven breaks down, Alexa+ can automatically:
- Search for repair services on Thumbtack.
- Schedule an appointment.
- Confirm the booking and notify the user upon completion.
More Personalization for a Smarter Experience
Alexa+ remembers user preferences, past orders, important dates, dietary needs, and more. For instance, when planning dinner, the assistant can suggest vegetarian, gluten-free, or other recipes based on family preferences. The system is designed to stay in the background, proactively providing updates only when necessary, such as traffic alerts before a commute or price drops on saved items.
Expands Across Devices and Platforms
Alexa+ will be accessible across a variety of devices and platforms, including:
- Echo devices.
- A new Alexa+ mobile app (iOS & Android).
- A web-based Alexa+ platform at Alexa.com
Alexa+ also supports conversation history, allowing users to start a request on one device and easily continue it on another.
Enhanced Knowledge and Smarter Assistance
Alexa+ is powered by advanced AI models with extensive knowledge across various topics. Its advanced capabilities include:
- Answering detailed questions.
- Remembering and organizing information (study materials, school schedules).
- Summarizing documents, emails, and messages.
- Creating quizzes and reminders from various documents.
Privacy and Security at the Core
Alexa+ is built with Amazon Web Services (AWS) security infrastructure and offers users privacy controls through the Alexa Privacy Dashboard. Users can review and manage their data at any time.
Pricing and Availability
Alexa+ is priced at USD 19.99 per month but is available free of charge for Amazon Prime members. Early access will begin in the U.S. in the coming weeks, with priority given to owners of Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 devices. Customers interested in early access or purchasing an Echo device to experience Alexa+ sooner can visit www.amazon.com/newalexa.
