Amazon has officially unveiled Alexa+, an upgraded, AI-enhanced version of its popular voice assistant, designed to be more conversational, intuitive, and capable. The new assistant integrates advanced generative AI, allowing it to summarize complex topics, provide useful suggestions, manage smart homes, book reservations, and even help users discover and track new artists.
Panos Panay, SVP of Devices & Services at Amazon, emphasized the significance of this upgrade, stating, “With 600 million Alexa devices now out in the world, the latest advancements in generative AI have unlocked new possibilities enabling us to reimagine the experience in our pursuit of making customers’ lives better and easier every day.”
Pricing & Availability
Alexa+ will not be free for regular Amazon users, but Prime members will get access at no additional cost. Non-Prime users will have to pay $19.99 (₹1,660) per month. This pricing strategy appears to be Amazon’s way of incentivizing more users to subscribe to Amazon Prime, which costs $14.99 (₹1,250) per month or $139 (₹11,500) annually in the US.
The AI-powered assistant will begin rolling out in the US in the coming weeks as part of an early access period, with a wider release planned over the next few months. Initially, Amazon will prioritize Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 device owners, but a global rollout plan has yet to be announced.
Expanded Access Across Devices & Platforms
Alexa+ will be accessible on all Echo devices, along with a new web-based platform (Alexa.com) and a mobile app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. This expansion ensures that users can access Alexa+ from virtually anywhere, even without an Echo device.
New AI Capabilities & Smarter Interactions
Powered by advanced AI, Alexa+ can understand natural, informal speech, even when users speak in half-formed thoughts, slang, or complex ideas. It can maintain context between conversations, making interactions more fluid and natural. Users can also ask Alexa+ to remember specific details, allowing for a more personalized experience.
Beyond conversations, Alexa+ can control smart home devices, play music, order groceries, send reminders for ticket sales, and even use Ring doorbells for security alerts. Its enhanced agentic powers enable it to autonomously complete tasks on behalf of users. For example, Alexa+ can search the web, find an air conditioner repair service via Thumbtack, authenticate, schedule an appointment, and notify the user once it’s done all without manual input.
With Alexa+, Amazon is aiming to revolutionize the voice assistant experience, offering a smarter, more proactive AI that can anticipate user needs and perform complex tasks seamlessly. As AI-powered assistants become more sophisticated and deeply integrated into daily life, Alexa+ positions itself as a powerful competitor in the evolving AI landscape.
