The first time I spoke to Alexa, it really felt as if the future had arrived. I walked into the room and asked Alexa to play Star Full of Stars, and it just worked. As a product maker, I realized this was technology at its best: doing what the customer wants, easily, intuitively, and naturally. I wanted all my technology to work that way. Now, with 600 million Alexa devices in use, new advances in generative AI are opening even more possibilities. This lets us rethink the experience as we work to make customers’ lives easier every day.
Today, we are excited to introduce Alexa +, our next-generation assistant powered by Generative AI. Alexa + is more conversational, smarter, and more customized. She helps you get things done, keeps you entertained, helps you learn, keeps you organized, summarizes complicated matters, and can talk about almost anything. Alexa + can manage and protect your home, make reservations, and help you discover and enjoy new artists. She can also help you search for, find, or buy almost any item online and make helpful suggestions based on your interests. Alexa + does all this and more. Just ask.
Alexa + Is Easy To Talk To
Talking with Alexa + seems natural and open. Whether you speak in partial thoughts, use everyday language, or discuss difficult ideas, Alexa + understands you and responds like a trusted assistant. It does not feel like using technology, but more as if chatting with a helpful friend.
Alexa + Turns Your Words Into Action.
Alexa + is built on powerful large language models (LLMs) available through Amazon Bedrock, but that’s only the beginning. Alexa + is designed to take action and can work across tens of thousands of services and devices, something we haven’t seen done at this scale before. To make this possible, we created experts, groups of systems, capabilities, APIs, and instructions that handle specific tasks for customers.
With these experts, Alexa + can control your smart home devices, including Philips Hue and Roborock. It can make reservations or appointments with OpenTable and Vagaro. It can play music from Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and iHeartRadio. It can order groceries from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market. It can get delivery from Grubhub and Uber Eats. It can remind you when tickets go on sale on Ticketmaster. It can use Ring to alert you if someone is near your house.
Alexa + also brings new agentic abilities, letting her steer the internet on her own to complete tasks for you in the background. For example, if you need your oven fixed, Alexa + can search the web, use Thumbtack to find the right service provider, handle the booking, and let you know when it’s done. You don’t have to supervise or step in.
Alexa + Is Personalized For You
The new Alexa is highly personalized, and you can make it even more so. She knows what you have bought, what you have listened to, and the videos you have watched, your shipping address, and how you like to pay. You can also ask her to remember things that make your experience better. She can use this information to help you. For example, if you are planning a family dinner, Alexa + can remember that you love pizza, that your daughter is a vegetarian, and that your partner is gluten-free, and suggest a recipe or a restaurant.
Alexa + Is There When You Need Her And Stays Out Of The Way When You Don’t
The new Alexa is like having an assistant ready to help you whenever you need her. She’s there when you want her and out of sight when you don’t. Alexa + is equally proactive when it matters, such as suggesting you leave early if there’s heavy traffic or letting you know when a gift you want is on sale.
Alexa + Helps Oversee Your Home
There are over 600 million Alexa devices out there today, which customers already use to play music, watch videos, and manage their smart homes. All these capabilities are meaningfully better with Alexa +. And they come together to create a much smarter, more capable home experience. For example, you could be eating dinner in the kitchen and tell Alexa you want to watch the boys on your Fire TV in the living room so that she can set it up for you there; you can move music to different speakers around your home; and you can use Ring to see if your package has been delivered or if anyone has walked the dog.
You Can Use Alexa + Anywhere
You already use Alexa at home and at work, and now you use it more often in your car. Soon, you will be able to get Alexa + through a new mobile app in the Apple App Store and Google Play by visiting Alexa.com in your browser. Start a conversation on your Echo device, rename it on your phone or in your car, and pick it up again on your computer. Alexa + remembers your conversation, and you can resume it on any device.
Alexa + Has A Lot Of Knowledge
They have combined advanced AI with Alexa’s large knowledge base to create a smarter assistant that keeps learning. Alexa + doesn’t just know facts; it understands your questions and gives accurate, real-time answers. Whether you ask something specific, like “What is the lowest point?” or “What is the highest point in any ocean on earth?” Or a general question like “What’s the song that Bradley Cooper sings at the start of that country music movie?” Alexa + can help.
You can help Alexa + learn more by sharing documents, emails, photos, and messages through your desktop browser, the mobile app, or by email. Alexa can remember, summarize, or use this information. For example, send a picture of a live music schedule, and Alexa will add the details to your calendar. You can upload study materials and ask Alexa to make a quiz or forward emails from your kids’ school and say, “Add all early dismissals to my calendar” or “Remind me what days I am volunteering in the classroom.”
Alexa + Is Built To Protect Your Privacy And Security
We created Alexa + to make something customers will love while also protecting your privacy and security. We give you openness and control by centralizing your Alexa + interactions and settings in the Alexa Privacy Dashboard. Alexa + runs securely. It’s built on AWS infrastructure, so your routine interactions are protected by strong privacy and security.
Alexa + Costs $19.99 Per Month, But It’s Free For All Prime Members.
Alexa + costs $19.99 per month, but all Amazon Prime members get it for free. It’s the newest Prime benefit, adding to the value members already enjoy. This includes:
- Fast delivery, free shipping on over 300 million items (the same or next day)
- Exclusive deals
- Prime Day events
- Entertainment like Prime Video and Amazon Music
- Savings on groceries, prescriptions, gas, and GrubHub +
Prime is now an even better value.
Availability
Alexa + will start rolling out in the US in the next few weeks with an early access period followed by a wider release over the next few months. Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 owners will get priority for early access. If you don’t have one of these devices but want to try Alexa + early, you can buy one now to join the early access list at www.amazon.com/newalexa.
I’m Excited about Alexa + and look forward to you trying it.
