Amazon is set to overhaul Alexa, but access to its most advanced features might come at a cost. Reports suggest a $5 to $10 monthly subscription fee on top of a Prime membership to unlock the AI-powered Alexa. This revamped assistant is expected for launch in August 2024 and boasts several improvements.
This new, advanced Alexa will also likely offer custom advice for say, shopping, or art.
Saying “Alexa” repeatedly might become a thing of the past. The new version is rumored to understand and complete multiple requests in one go, like writing an email and ordering takeout simultaneously. It could even learn user habits and personalize routines, like turning on the coffee pot when the alarm goes off. This advanced Alexa is also expected to offer sophisticated shopping advice.
However, Amazon isn’t abandoning the free tier entirely. A basic version of Alexa with new generative AI features will still be available. This move seems to be a response to the increasingly competitive AI assistant market, with Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and even Apple‘s improved Siri vying for user attention. The future of Alexa appears to be a two-pronged approach: a free basic service and a premium tier with advanced capabilities.
(Via)
