Amazon’s Alexa now offers AI companionship for a fee

Amazon has introduced an advanced version of its digital assistant Alexa, now enhanced with generative AI capabilities for more dynamic interactions. This upgraded iteration, termed “Alexa+”, is designed to provide users with a more personalized experience, featuring improvements such as the ability to detect user emotions and assist with planning personal activities like romantic dates.

While previously available at no cost on any compatible device, the new Alexa+ requires customers to pay $19.99 monthly. However, it remains complimentary for Amazon Prime members, who already pay for benefits such as free shipping and other services.

During a presentation in New York City, Amazon executives demonstrated the advancements in Alexa’s capabilities which aim to both increase engagement and drive sales of devices equipped with Alexa functionality. Alexa+ is said to facilitate more natural, humanlike conversations, learning about individual users over time, including preferences and dietary restrictions.

Alexa+, as demonstrated, declared, “I’m not just an assistant, I’m your new best friend in the digital world,” showcasing its enhanced conversational abilities on stage. Panos Panay, Amazon’s vice president of devices and services, highlighted new functions like creating educational plans, sending texts to babysitters, and ordering Uber rides for friends. Users would also be able to retrieve video clips from Ring cameras, such as verifying if a pet was tended to.

Alexa’s integration spans devices like smart speakers, Fire TVs, and earbuds. First released in 2014 alongside the Echo, Alexa has been a staple in smart technology, with Amazon reporting over 600 million Alexa-enabled products sold. User engagement reportedly rose by 20% from the previous year. Market analysis indicates Alexa holds a dominant position in the voice assistant sector.

The enhanced Alexa employs diverse large language models, crafted by both Amazon and partner Anthropic, a startup specializing in AI. This iteration utilizes a “model-agnostic system” capable of selecting the most suitable AI model for specific tasks, explained Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s vice president for Alexa and Echo.

Amazon plans to offer “early access” to Alexa+ in the U.S. next month, with a subsequent international rollout on select Echo devices. While generally accessible across Alexa-compatible gadgets, certain advanced features are optimized for devices with displays.

This announcement follows a previous media event over a year ago where Amazon initially hinted at such AI enhancements for Alexa. At the time, they revealed efforts to develop a “speech-to-speech” model capable of replicating human attributes like laughter or colloquialisms in dialogues.

In a live demonstration, Panay tested a feature where Alexa could interpret the mood among a roomful of attendees. When asked if the audience seemed enthusiastic, Alexa accurately read the room as paying keen attention.

Much like the original, Alexa+ activates with the wake word “Alexa,” allowing for ongoing interaction with just a single invocation, although repeat prompts might be necessary if the assistant misses an input.

Amazon operates within a competitive space against industry giants like Apple and Google, striving to transform Alexa into not just a tool for basic tasks but also a driver for online purchases through voice commands. While Alexa serves numerous simple functions like playing music and providing weather updates, monetizing it further via a subscription is intended to cover AI development expenses and ensure the profitability of Amazon’s smart device operations.