After years of anticipation, Amazon has finally given its popular voice assistant a major AI upgrade. Alexa+, the new version of Alexa powered by generative AI, is now rolling out to more users after months of limited early access. The update promises a smarter, more conversational assistant that blends the best of chatbots with the everyday usefulness of the old Alexa.
Alexa+ aims to go beyond basic tasks like setting timers or playing music. It can now handle more complex, multi-step requests, such as creating a travel itinerary and emailing it to you or booking a table at a restaurant. It also offers more natural conversation, with realistic voices and the ability to respond without needing the wake word every time. Prime members can access Alexa+ for free, while others can subscribe for a monthly fee.
The technology behind Alexa+ is built on large language models similar to those used by ChatGPT. These models allow for more flexible and creative responses but also bring new challenges. Integrating generative AI into a system designed around fixed commands required Amazon to rebuild many core processes. The result is a more capable assistant in theory, but in practice, some users report frequent bugs, factual mistakes, and slower performance compared to the original Alexa.
In testing, Alexa+ occasionally misunderstood basic requests, failed to access uploaded files, and even provided incorrect product recommendations. Some of its most exciting features, like automated routines triggered when you enter a room, are still not available. Amazon executives acknowledge these issues, calling the current rollout a work in progress that will improve over time as more features go live and reliability increases.
One of the biggest shifts for users will be learning to speak to Alexa+ in a more natural way. While older versions required specific commands, the new system is designed to understand human-like conversation. This change may take some getting used to, but it also opens the door to more intuitive and fluid interactions.
For now, Alexa+ represents an ambitious leap toward making voice assistants smarter and more versatile. However, early adopters may need patience as Amazon fine-tunes the technology and smooths out its rough edges. If the improvements come quickly, Alexa+ could become a benchmark for AI-powered assistants. Until then, it is a glimpse of what is possible rather than a flawless replacement for the Alexa many users already know and trust.
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