Amazon is giving Alexa a major AI upgrade. The company today unveiled Alexa+, a new version of its voice assistant powered by generative AI, promising deeper personalization, expanded conversational capabilities, and proactive assistance. Alexa+ can remember user preferences, orchestrate complex tasks across different services, and even navigate the web to complete actions on its own. Best of all for Prime members, it’s free—though non-members will have to pay $19.99 per month.
Key Points:
- Alexa+ is designed to be more conversational, proactive, and action-oriented.
- It remembers preferences, schedules, and user-provided documents to deliver customized assistance.
- Alexa+ can complete tasks online, like booking services or ordering groceries, without user supervision.
- Free for Amazon Prime members; $19.99/month for non-members.
After falling behind AI-powered assistants like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, Amazon is betting big on Alexa+. The company describes Alexa+ as “more conversational, more personalized, and more capable” than any previous Alexa version, thanks to advancements in large language models and new “agentic” features that allow it to act on behalf of users.
At the core of Alexa+ is its ability to carry out multi-step actions across different services. Users can ask it to book a restaurant, notify a friend, and add the reservation to their calendar—all in one request. It also integrates with major platforms like OpenTable, Ticketmaster, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, making it a hub for everyday tasks. The assistant even has vision capabilities on Echo Show devices, allowing it to analyze images and respond accordingly.
Perhaps the biggest shift is Alexa+’s improved memory. The assistant can remember user preferences, such as dietary restrictions or favorite music genres, and apply that knowledge across interactions. Users can also upload documents, emails, and photos for Alexa+ to reference later—helpful for tasks like summarizing a school schedule or setting reminders for an event.
Amazon has also introduced proactive capabilities, meaning Alexa+ won’t just wait for commands—it can suggest leaving earlier due to traffic or notify users when a concert ticket goes on sale. These enhancements bring Alexa closer to the vision of a true personal AI assistant, rather than just a voice-activated command system.
Amazon is positioning Alexa+ as a premium service, priced at $19.99 per month. However, the company is making it a free benefit for Amazon Prime members, adding another incentive to its subscription service. The initial rollout will be limited to the U.S., with availability on Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 devices before expanding to other Alexa-enabled products.
With Alexa+, Amazon is attempting to reassert itself in the AI assistant race. While competitors like Google and Apple are integrating AI into their own voice assistants, Amazon’s advantage lies in its massive installed base of Alexa-enabled devices. If Alexa+ can deliver on its promises, it could redefine what users expect from AI-powered assistants.