Amazon has unveiled its next-generation AI assistant, Alexa+. It is smarter than the existing Alexa, supports natural conversations, and has improved abilities to perform various tasks.
Alexa+ is powered by generative AI and makes your daily life easier. It can play music, help you manage your schedule, and even do online shopping, order food delivery, and manage your home security. It remembers the flow of the conversation and reflects your preferences to provide personalized services.
Amazon says Alexa+ is designed to go beyond simply providing information to actually performing actions. For example, if you want your oven repaired, Alexa+ can find a service provider and schedule an appointment. It can also be linked to smart home devices to control lights, thermostats, security systems, and more with just voice commands.
Alexa+ provides deep knowledge by leveraging a large amount of pre-loaded data and a large language model (LLM). When a user asks a question, it provides contextual answers rather than just search results, and considers additional information during the conversation to provide the optimal response.
Personalization features have also been enhanced. It remembers the user's favorite foods, family members' diets, important schedules, etc., and makes appropriate recommendations when needed. When looking for a place to eat dinner, it can make recommendations based on the eating habits of family members.
Alexa+ can also be used via smartphone apps and websites. You can start a conversation on your Echo device at home and continue it on your smartphone when you leave the house, or check it on your computer at the office.
Amazon emphasized that security and privacy were top priorities when developing Alexa+. User data is protected through a secure infrastructure based on Amazon Web Services (AWS), and all privacy settings can be checked and managed from a dedicated dashboard.
Alexa+ will cost $19.99 per month and is free for Amazon Prime members. It will be available in the US in the coming weeks, with a wider rollout thereafter.
