Amazon Unveils Alexa+, Powered by Generative A.I.

Amazon is undergoing its most significant update to Alexa in over a decade, marking a major shift in the virtual assistant’s capabilities.

On Wednesday, Amazon announced that Alexa is getting an upgrade with a new AI brain powered by generative technology. This update, called Alexa+, aims to make the assistant more conversational and efficient in tasks like booking concert tickets, managing schedules, and recommending food delivery. Alexa+ will be available for $19.99 per month, or included for Amazon Prime members who already pay $14.99 a month. The update will start rolling out next month.

“At this very moment, we have been constrained by technology,” said Panos Panay, Amazon’s head of devices, during a media event. “Alexa+ is the trusted assistant that will help manage your life and home.”

With this overhaul, Amazon is positioning itself to make a stronger push in consumer-facing generative A.I. products. While the company has made strides in AI offerings for businesses, its hold on consumer products has been more limited. The Alexa updates, which were previewed in 2023, represent Amazon’s boldest move yet in the consumer A.I. space.

The update also presents an opportunity to revitalize Alexa, which has been viewed as lagging behind other virtual assistants in recent years. According to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, Alexa’s growth in the U.S. has plateaued, with users primarily relying on it for basic tasks like setting timers, playing music, and checking weather or sports scores.

During Wednesday’s event, Panay and other executives demonstrated how Alexa+ could perform those tasks more personally. Alexa+ is designed to recognize speakers, remember their preferences, such as favorite sports teams, musicians, or food choices, and offer personalized suggestions. They showcased how Alexa+ could recommend restaurants, book reservations through OpenTable, order an Uber, and even send a calendar invite.

Alexa, initially created by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, debuted in 2014 and amazed users with its ability to understand voice commands and turn them into actions. Over time, it became a hallmark of Amazon’s innovation, supported by devices like Echo speakers and even quirky gadgets like a connected microwave and a dancing teddy bear.

However, since Andy Jassy took over as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, the company has pulled back from experimental ventures, focusing on controlling expenses and streamlining projects. In 2023, Jassy hired Panay, a former Microsoft executive, to lead the device division with a focus on integrating generative A.I. into Alexa.

Panay’s primary task was to bring generative A.I. to Alexa and realize Amazon’s vision of a truly helpful virtual assistant. Shortly after Panay’s appointment, Amazon revealed that it was reworking Alexa’s core architecture using technology similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

“The entire architecture of Alexa has been restructured,” Panay announced on Wednesday.

While Amazon was working on these improvements, competitors like ChatGPT surged ahead. For instance, ChatGPT can engage in longer, more complex conversations, with some users forming deep, even emotional connections with A.I. personalities.

Bringing generative A.I. to Alexa was no small feat, as the assistant faces unique challenges that chatbots don’t. For instance, Alexa may need to cater to multiple users in a household, requiring it to recognize individual voices and personalize responses accordingly.

Amazon also wants Alexa to be the central hub in people’s lives, integrating seamlessly with various smart devices and services. This requires a sophisticated system that works with A.I. from both Amazon and the startup Anthropic, as well as devices like smart lightbulbs and apps like Ticketmaster. Additionally, Amazon has given Alexa+ a sense of humor, training it with comedians to add a fun personality.

“Last fall, it was just too slow,” Panay admitted in an interview.

Generative A.I. has also been criticized for generating “hallucinations” — instances where the AI provides incorrect information. Since Alexa interacts with the real world by playing songs, ordering products, and controlling devices, Panay emphasized the importance of accuracy and reliability.

He expressed confidence that Alexa+ would be both faster and more accurate. “I think people will fall in love with it pretty quickly,” he concluded.