Amazon has unveiled Alexa+, a next-generation AI assistant designed to be smarter, more intuitive, and highly personalized. Unlike previous Alexa versions, Alexa+ requires a monthly subscription, making it one of the first AI assistants to adopt a paid model.
Alexa+ is designed to provide a more conversational and context-aware experience, allowing users to interact in natural language without needing to remember specific voice commands. It can also retain information from past conversations, making it more helpful over time.
Users can perform a variety of tasks, including calendar planning, gift shopping, travel arrangements, and studying assistance. Alexa+ also enhances automation with voice-activated Routines, enabling seamless control of music, video playback on Fire TV devices, and security camera footage through Ring integration.
For instance, users can ask, “Did someone take out the garbage bins?” and Alexa+ will analyze footage from that day’s security cameras to provide an answer. Additionally, it supports document and email uploads for analysis, allowing users to extract key details or recall information later—similar to AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini.
Amazon has announced plans to expand Alexa+ capabilities, including story generation for children, hotel bookings, Uber reservations, and online shopping assistance. The service is priced at $19.99 per month, but Amazon Prime members will have free access.
Alexa+ will roll out in the United States in the coming weeks across all Echo devices, the Alexa app for smartphones and tablets, and via the web on Mac and PC. Early access will be available to users of Echo Show 8, Echo Show 10, Echo Show 15, and Echo Show 21.
It remains unclear whether Alexa+ will be supported on Samsung smart appliances, soundbars, and TVs via the existing Alexa app, but more details are expected soon.
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