Amazon may soon start delivering ads to users during conversations with its AI-powered assistant, Alexa+, CEO Andy Jassy revealed during the company’s second-quarter earnings call on Thursday.

As Alexa+ rolls out to millions of users, Jassy highlighted the growing potential of advertising within voice-based interactions. “As people engage in more multi-turn conversations, there will be opportunities for advertising to help with discovery and as a lever for revenue,” he told investors.

Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded digital assistant, is designed to be more conversational and capable than its predecessor. The company hopes it will rival other generative AI voice assistants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Perplexity AI.

Alexa+ is free for Amazon Prime members and also available via a $20-per-month standalone plan. Jassy hinted at the possibility of future pricing tiers, including an ad-free option.

Currently, ads on Alexa are limited to visual placements on devices like the Echo Show or brief audio spots between music tracks. But Jassy’s vision of conversational, AI-generated product suggestions represents a major shift — and a potential new frontier in digital marketing.

Other tech giants are also exploring similar models. Google is experimenting with ads in its AI-powered search results, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said he’s open to “tasteful” advertising in ChatGPT.

Amazon is investing heavily in AI. The company’s capital expenditure surged to $31.4 billion in Q2, up 90% year-over-year, much of it directed toward AI chip development and data center expansion. Advertising revenue rose 22% in the same period, underlining its growing importance to Amazon’s business.

Still, Alexa+ faces challenges. Some features have been slow to ship, and concerns about hallucinations and privacy may complicate plans to introduce ads into conversations.

Amazon’s next big bet: turning AI chats into shopping opportunities.