New York: Amazon has introduced Alexa+, a revamped version of its virtual assistant designed to foster more natural and personalized interactions. The company hopes users will share “just about anything” with the AI, positioning it as a true digital companion.
The launch comes amid rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, with conversational AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek gaining widespread popularity. Amazon aims to compete in this space, with Alexa+ promising enhanced memory, context awareness, and the ability to engage in more fluid conversations.
Set to roll out in March as a free feature for Prime members, non-subscribers will need to pay $19.99 per month. The UK pricing is yet to be disclosed.
Shift in strategy
Experts have expressed skepticism about whether Alexa+ can overcome consumer habits, with many still viewing smart speakers as basic household gadgets. Marketing expert Ed Freed noted that while such devices are common in UK homes, they are often limited to simple tasks like setting timers.
Meet the new Alexa đ #AlexaPlushttps://t.co/jeBOVKNXpo pic.twitter.com/H5Mvb8IP7r
— Alexa (@AmazonAlexa) February 26, 2025
Amazonâs Panos Panay, head of devices and services, highlighted that Alexa+ will now remember user preferencesâsuch as dietary restrictionsâwhen offering recommendations. Panay also emphasized the elimination of robotic “Alexa speak,” enabling more human-like conversations.
Dr Richard Whittle from the University of Salford called these upgrades âlong overdue,â pointing out that competitors like Google Assistant, Copilot, and Siri have already integrated advanced LLM (large language model) technology. His colleague, Dr Gordon Fletcher, echoed this, describing Alexaâs past iterations as outdated compared to rapidly evolving AI models like Grok and Claude.
More than Smart Speaker?
Amazon confirmed Alexa+ will launch in all markets where Alexa is currently available. In the US, it will debut in March, expanding globally later in 2025. The assistant will run on older Echo devices, dating back to the 2017 Echo Dot (2nd Gen) and the 2019 Echo Show 8 (1st Gen).
The new version is designed to handle more than just voice commandsâusers can share emails and photos for enhanced search capabilities, while also booking taxis and restaurant reservations through Alexa+.
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