Amazon is set to launch a long-awaited generative AI-powered upgrade to Alexa, marking the most significant transformation of its voice assistant since its debut over a decade ago.
The company has scheduled a February 26 event in New York to preview the new technology, with Panos Panay, head of Amazon’s devices and services team, leading the presentation.
The new AI-driven Alexa is designed to handle multi-step conversations, respond to prompts in sequence, and act as an “agent” capable of taking actions without direct user input—advancements that far surpass its current capabilities.
Amazon aims to leverage these upgrades to convert some of Alexa’s 500 million enabled devices into paying customers, as it seeks to generate returns from a business that has remained largely unprofitable.
Despite its potential, the rollout presents significant risks. Like other generative AI models from OpenAI and Google, Alexa’s upgrade faces challenges such as AI hallucinations, where chatbots generate inaccurate or misleading responses.
Given Alexa’s presence in cars, televisions, thermostats, and mobile devices, ensuring accuracy and reliability is crucial as it becomes further embedded in users’ daily lives.
Amazon executives will hold a final decision meeting on February 14 to assess the “street readiness” of the new Alexa before its scheduled unveiling.
Initially, the service will launch for a limited number of users at no cost, though Amazon is considering a $5 to $10 monthly fee in the future. The company will continue offering the current version, now referred to as “Classic Alexa”, but has reportedly stopped adding new features to it.
Alexa was originally envisioned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as a futuristic voice assistant akin to the Star Trek computer, capable of handling everyday tasks such as adjusting home settings, playing music, and even ordering taxis.
However, in recent years, Alexa has stagnated, with many users primarily relying on it for basic functions like setting timers and checking the weather.
