Amazon has been working on virtual assistants for over a decade, but its flagship service, Alexa, still hasn’t reached the company’s vision of an all-powerful AI helper. This week, the tech giant launched its most ambitious version yet: Alexa Plus. With new technology and innovative ideas, Amazon aims to make Alexa more useful and accessible.
David Imel, co-host of Waveform podcast, joined The Vergecast to discuss Alexa Plus and large language models. While Amazon’s description sounds promising, experts have reservations about the user experience and the company’s ability to execute. Alexa Plus comes with a hefty price tag of $19.99 for non-Prime users, which may deter some consumers.
In addition to Alexa news, this week’s episode also covers other gadget launches, including a unique camera, iPhone 16E rumors, and Framework devices. The lightning round segment touches on YouTube’s growing podcast presence, social media platform mergers, Elon Musk’s latest comments, and more.
For those interested in learning more about the discussed topics, click on these links:
– Amazon Alexa Plus Event 2025: live updates and product announcements
– Amazon announces AI upgrade for Alexa
– Amazon’s Alexa Plus’ AI upgrades cost $19.99, but it’s free with Prime
– Amazon is launching Alexa.com and new app for Alexa Plus
– Alexa engagement continues to grow
– Alexa Plus leaves behind Amazon’s earliest Echo devices
Key gadget news includes:
– Over 1 billion people now watch podcasts on YouTube every month
– Instagram’s Reels may get its own app
– Elon Musk claims federal employees have 48 hours to explain recent work or resign
Source: https://www.theverge.com/the-vergecast/621514/alexa-plus-amazon-ai-vergecast