Amazon’s upcoming generative AI-powered Alexa has raised concerns over user privacy, as the company prepares to send voice recordings from Echo devices to its cloud servers without users’ consent. Starting March 28, device owners will no longer be able to opt out of sending their voice recordings to Amazon for processing.
The change is part of a new feature that relies on the secure cloud to expand Alexa’s capabilities with generative AI features. However, this comes at the cost of eliminating a privacy-focused capability that allows users to control who speaks to Alexa and when.
This decision has sparked concerns over data protection, as users may not feel comfortable having a conglomerate listen to their personal requests in their home. Furthermore, Amazon has faced criticism for its handling of voice recordings in the past, including storing children’s interactions forever without parental consent.
Amazon recently agreed to pay $25 million in civil penalties for mishandling Alexa voice recordings and failing to inform adults about the retention policy until 2019. This latest change raises questions about how users will be able to trust their devices and maintain control over their personal data.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28