- By Prateek Levi
- Thu, 27 Feb 2025 12:41 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Amazon Launches AI powered Alexa+: We all know about Alexa, one of the most popular AI assistants by Amazon, guess what Amazon is out with its next-generation version of its AI assistant, Alexa+, unveiled at the 2025 Devices and Services Event. Alexa+ is powered by generative AI, making it more conversational, intelligent, and personalized.
Panos Panay, SVP of Devices & Services, stated that Alexa+ helps users stay organized, learn new things, summarize complex topics, and engage in meaningful conversations.
He highlighted that Alexa+ can manage smart homes, make reservations, discover new music, and assist with online shopping. “Alexa+ does all this and more— all you have to do is ask,” he said.
Is Alexa+ Better At Holding A Conversation?
It is claimed that conversations with Alex+ have a more natural and intuitive feel to them. Whether you are being casual or brainstorming the big questions, Alexa+ can respond like a friend you can trust. “It feels less like interacting with technology and more like engaging with an insightful friend,” Panay said.
Alexa+ Features
Advanced Large Language Models(LLMs) were used to build Alexa+ which is available on Amazon Bedrock. It can carry out multiple tasks and can be integrated across tens of thousands of devices and services, this is something that has never been achieved at this scale before.
Smart Home Control: Works seamlessly with Philips Hue, Roborock, and more.
Reservations: Make appointments via OpenTable and Vagaro.
Music: Plays tracks from Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and iHeartRadio.
Groceries: Orders from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, Grubhub, and Uber Eats.
Home Security: Sends alerts via Ring when someone approaches your house.
Alexa+ also introduces autonomous capabilities, allowing it to perform tasks on its own. For example, it can find a service provider on Thumbtack, book an oven repair, and notify you—without you having to do anything.
Personalized to You
Alexa+ adapts to your preferences, from shopping habits to dietary restrictions. It can also learn family recipes, important dates, and more. For example, it can suggest a restaurant that fits your family's dietary needs.
Proactive Assistance
While always available, Alexa+ only steps in when necessary. It can warn you of traffic delays or alert you to sales on items you've been considering.
Smart Home Management
With over 600 million Alexa devices in use, Alexa+ elevates your smart home experience. It can set up your Fire TV, move music between speakers, and check Ring cameras for package deliveries.
Available Everywhere
Alexa+ can be accessed via a new mobile app (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play) or through a browser-based experience at Alexa.com. It remembers context, allowing you to continue conversations across different devices.
Alexa+ Has Deep Knowledge
Alexa+ combines advanced large language models with Amazon’s vast knowledge base. It can answer complex queries, like "What is the lowest point in any ocean?" or identify a song from a movie scene.
It will also enable sharing of documents, emails, or photos with Alexa+ where you can summarize or take a particular action. For instance, you can now add events to your calendar or create quizzes from the provided study material. “Alexa+ deeply understands and brings it all together into an accurate and real-time response,” Panay said.
Built with Privacy and Security
Alexa+ is designed with Amazon’s strong commitment to privacy and security. “We’ve built Alexa+ the same way we do any Amazon product—with a focus on protecting customer privacy and security,” Panay explained. The Alexa Privacy Dashboard consolidates your interactions and settings, while AWS ensures robust data protection.
Connects to Thousands of Services
Alexa+ integrates with numerous APIs, enabling seamless task completion. For example, it can book a dinner reservation, arrange an Uber ride, and text your friend the details—all in one go.
It also features advanced agentic capabilities, such as booking home repairs through Thumbtack or creating songs with Suno. Daniel Rausch, VP for Alexa and Echo, highlighted how Alexa+ can autonomously handle tasks like finding a home maintenance provider and booking repairs.
New Architecture Powered by Amazon Bedrock
Alexa+ utilizes Amazon Bedrock to access cutting-edge LLMs, including Amazon’s Nova models and those from Anthropic. Its model-agnostic system selects the most suitable model for each task, supported by partnerships with leading news organizations like the Associated Press, Reuters, TIME, USA TODAY, and Politico.
Interactive Features for Kids
Amazon Kids+ subscribers receive two new features:
Stories with Alexa: Encourages creativity through storytelling.
Explore with Alexa: Helps kids learn and discover new topics.
Mara Segal, Director for Alexa, said these features are designed to “inspire and encourage kids’ limitless curiosity and creativity.”
Calendar and Document Management
Alexa+ can extract information from documents, emails, and manuals. For example, it can summarize HOA guidelines or remind you about school events. “Alexa+ now understands and remembers your preferences and important information, making interactions more intuitive and personalized,” Segal explained.
Smart Home Integration
Alexa+ enhances smart home experiences by:
-Creating routines through voice commands.
-Moving music between rooms.
-Jumping to specific scenes on Prime Video.
-Summarizing Ring camera events.
Amazon’s Vision for AI
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the company’s 25-year history with AI. “We use AI to solve real customer problems,” he said. “Generative AI will reinvent customer experiences and enable entirely new possibilities.”
Availability and Pricing
Alexa+ will cost USD 19.99 which is approximately Rs 1,747 per month, and good news for Amazon Prime members you will get it for free. Its roll out in the U.S. will start in the upcoming weeks, beginning with Echo Show 8,10,15 and 21 devices.