Amazon has announced a significant update to its virtual assistant, Alexa Plus. The new generation of Alexa is powered by generative AI and promises a smarter, more conversational, and approachable experience.
Alexa Plus can now perform tasks such as booking dinner reservations, setting reminders on your calendar, ordering gifts, and learning your routine and likes and dislikes over time to better serve you. It can also control smart home devices, play music, and access information about popular movies and TV shows.
The update is free for Prime members and will start rolling out next month. Alexa Plus will work with multiple partners, including UberEats, Spotify, Dyson, and more.
Amazon’s Devices and Services Team Lead Panos Panay described the new Alexa as “smarter than she’s ever been” and emphasized that it can take action, rather than just providing information. The company has also reported a 20% increase in Alexa usage since last year.
While the update is available for free to Prime members, some users may be hesitant due to concerns about additional costs. However, with more than 1,000 Generative AI programs already implemented by Amazon, it’s clear that the company is committed to using AI to solve real customer problems.
The new Alexa features will also enable seamless integration with popular services such as UberEats and Spotify. With this update, users can expect a more personalized and proactive experience from their virtual assistant.
Source: https://www.cnet.com/home/meet-alexa-plus-your-virtual-assistant-just-got-an-ai-update