Amazon’s updated Alexa virtual assistant is reportedly being pushed back by at least a month due to issues with its artificial intelligence capabilities. The new version of the assistant was initially scheduled for public release on February 26 but will now be available until at least March 31, according to an internal memo seen by the Washington Post.
The delay is attributed to the new Alexa’s struggles in providing accurate answers to test questions, which has raised concerns about its overall performance. Amazon has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence technology, including a recent partnership with OpenAI to develop a more conversational and “smarter” version of the assistant.
However, this upgrade comes with significant technical challenges, including pretraining foundation models that can be expensive, and applying AI training on new data, which is not cheap. Amazon has considered charging a subscription fee for its large language model-powered Alexa or taking a cut of e-commerce sales, but these plans have been put on hold due to the technical roadblocks.
The delay in the Alexa update reflects the struggles companies are facing in enhancing their products with artificial intelligence. Apple recently pulled an AI feature from its iPhone after complaints that the summaries were inaccurate. Other companies, including Amazon and Apple, are struggling to launch new AI-powered versions of their virtual assistants, highlighting the challenges of developing effective and accurate AI technology.
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Source: https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-reportedly-delaying-updated-alexa-over-incorrect-answers