Amazon's upgraded intelligent assistant, Alexa+, which is based on generative artificial intelligence technology, was officially launched to all users across the United States this Wednesday. The company stated that this AI feature will be offered free of charge for all devices to Amazon Prime members. Concurrently, non-member users can also access Alexa+ for free through the Alexa website or mobile application, albeit with certain functional limitations.
Alexa+ was officially unveiled last year, featuring a model-agnostic architecture that integrates both Amazon's proprietary foundational models and models from other companies. Leveraging the most suitable AI technologies, this assistant is capable of functions far surpassing its predecessor, moving beyond basic tasks.
As an artificial intelligence assistant, Alexa+ can engage in natural language conversations that include follow-up questions, enabling smooth, two-way communication.
In addition to continuing the functionalities of the previous version—such as smart home control, timed reminders, and news and weather broadcasts—this new assistant also possesses most of the core capabilities found in other AI chatbots. These include planning travel itineraries, updating shared calendars, finding and saving recipes, recommending movies, assisting with homework, and providing in-depth analysis on specific topics.
Furthermore, Alexa+ has established integration partnerships with numerous service providers, including the ticketing platform Ticketmaster, the local services platform Thumbtack, the ride-hailing platform Uber, the home services platform Angi, the travel platform Expedia, the payment platform Square, the review platform Yelp, the travel guide brand Fodor's, the restaurant reservation platform OpenTable, and the music generation platform Suno. This enables it to perform more complex tasks, such as booking dinners and hailing rides. However, Amazon has not yet released user penetration data for this AI assistant in "smart agent" scenarios—situations where the AI can autonomously complete assigned tasks.
During a one-year testing phase, Alexa users could voluntarily choose to trial this new feature or switch back to the older assistant. Amazon revealed that users can still utilize the function to revert to the older Alexa version, but it has not specified how long this option will remain available. Industry speculation suggests Amazon may wish to allow more time to optimize the AI user experience before making Alexa+ the default version. User attrition rate is also a key metric being monitored; it is noted that the current attrition rate is at a relatively low single-digit percentage, indicating that the vast majority of users are essentially satisfied with their Alexa+ experience and have not chosen to discontinue use.
Nonetheless, prior to the official launch, Amazon addressed vulnerabilities exposed during the testing phase and refined the product based on user feedback. For example, some beta testers reported issues with Alexa+ being overly talkative, interrupting at inappropriate times, while other users expressed dissatisfaction with the new voice options.
Amazon has been progressively adjusting and optimizing the product based on this feedback. For instance, the team enhanced the new user onboarding process, prompting Alexa to proactively explain to users how to change the voice setting—acknowledging that some users still prefer the classic voice.
Targeted measures have also been taken to address the interruption issue. Now, when Alexa is uncertain about the target of a user's command, it will proactively ask: "Are you talking to me?"
Alexa+ is available free of charge to Prime members in the US region. Non-member users who wish to use it separately can opt for a subscription priced at $19.99 per month, a rate that is generally on par with similar products like ChatGPT Plus.
Amazon indicated that the free versions available on the website and mobile app have certain restrictions, with the primary purpose of these limitations being to prevent misuse.
Currently, users in the United States can access Alexa+ functionality through various Alexa-compatible devices. These include Amazon's own Echo product line, Fire TV streaming devices, the Alexa website, the Alexa mobile app, and smart devices from partner brands such as Samsung and Bose. Support for additional device models is planned for the future.
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