Amazon has officially launched Alexa+, an upgraded version of its AI-powered voice assistant, significantly enhancing its capabilities. Announced on Wednesday, Alexa+ offers advanced contextual understanding, improved smart home control, and a highly personalized experience tailored to individual user behavior. Furthermore, this new assistant includes agentic capabilities, allowing it to perform tasks online without requiring direct supervision from users.
A Smarter, More Conversational Alexa
Panos Panay, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Devices & Services, announced the launch of Alexa+ in a newsroom post. He emphasized that the new assistant is “more conversational, smarter, and personalized.” Alexa+ will function as a standalone service and will be included with Amazon Prime at no extra cost. For non-Prime members, the service is expected to cost $19.99 (approximately £15.70) per month.
Enhanced AI Capabilities
Alexa+ uses a model-agnostic system, unlike previous versions. Its core framework is based on Amazon’s Nova model, but it can also integrate third-party AI models through Amazon Bedrock, including those from Anthropic. This flexibility allows Alexa+ to select the best AI model for specific tasks, improving efficiency and responsiveness. The assistant can now handle complex tasks like making reservations, setting appointments, and managing smart home devices more accurately. It can also find and play music from various services, including Amazon Music, Spotify, and Apple Music, even with vague user descriptions.
Automated Online Task Execution
A standout feature of Alexa+ is its ability to perform tasks independently online. For instance, if a user needs their oven repaired, they can simply ask Alexa+. The assistant will search online, identify suitable service providers, verify their credentials, arrange an appointment, and communicate the details to the user all without requiring further input.
