Amazon has announced a gen AI-powered Alexa+, a revamped version of its popular virtual assistant that leverages the power of generative artificial intelligence to enhance the user experience. Alexa+ is exactly what you may have envisioned when you first heard of voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google, but without the accompanying disappointment at their shortcomings.
The improved voice assistant will be able to generate responses instead of repeating what it’s been programmed to say. With generative AI, Alexa+ will also hold more natural conversations with users rather than listening to a prompt and responding with an action. It will support memory to recall preferences and conversations and will maintain context throughout a conversation, so it will remember what you asked at the beginning of a chat and respond in that context.
Also: Everything announced at Amazon’s Alexa event: Alexa+, new Echo Show UI, and more
But Alexa+ will not be available for all Echo devices, at least not initially. Here’s a list of the Echo devices that will support Alexa+ when it begins rolling out over the next month:
Echo devices compatible with Alexa+
- Echo Show 8
- Echo Show 10
- Echo Show 15
- Echo Show 21
Amazon said it is prioritizing these Echo Show displays in the early access period of Alexa Plus, so the revamped virtual assistant could eventually be available on other Echo devices not listed above.
Also: 7 exciting AI features coming with Alexa+ (and how to get the service for free)
Every Echo device that initially won’t support Alexa+
- Echo Show 5
- Echo Show 5 Kids
- Echo Hub
- Echo
- Echo Dot
- Echo Dot Kids
- Echo Pop
- Echo Spot
- Echo Studio
- Echo Auto
- Echo Buds
Here’s the official text from the company:
“[Alexa+] will be available on all Echo devices, with the exception of certain older generation Echo devices like Echo Dot 1st Gen, Echo 1st Gen, Echo Plus 1st Gen, Echo Tap, Echo Show 1st Gen, Echo Show 2nd Gen, and Echo Spot 1st Gen, where you can continue to use the original Alexa. You’ll also be able to try Alexa+ on your web browser, the Alexa app, compatible Fire TVs, and Fire tablets. This experience is not currently supported on Alexa Built-in devices and Amazon Astro, however we look forward to expanding Alexa+ to additional devices in the future.”
Amazon has a big lineup of smart speakers that won’t initially support Alexa+’s generative AI features, but that’s not to say they won’t gain compatibility later.
Amazon’s plans for Alexa+ may be heavily tethered to the display factor, so Echo speakers could be excluded from the new generative AI assistant. A smart display offers users a visual glance of their conversation with Alexa+, including integrations with apps that require users to see what the virtual assistant came up with. Ordering an Uber without seeing the screen could end up being confusing, after all.
Also: Want your Safari to default to ChatGPT for search? Here’s how to do it
But Alexa+ could do many more things for a user without relying on a display, like answering questions and creating stories. I believe Amazon will eventually launch Alexa+ for its smart speakers, especially as there are many Alexa households that don’t have an Echo Show. ZDNET reached out to Amazon for comment on this, and we’ve yet to get a reply.
Amazon announced that Alexa+ will cost $20 a month and will be offered as a separate service, though it will be included in the Prime membership. The Alexa+ cost is the same as ChatGPT Plus, though its individual offerings will need to be compared when available to assess which one is better.
Alexa+ will be rolled out to some of the Echo Show devices listed above over the coming weeks, followed by a gradual broader rollout. Amazon said the early access rollout will happen next month.
