Amazon unveils enhanced Alexa service, offering natural conversation features

In a groundbreaking move, Amazon has announced the launch of Alexa+, a next-generation AI assistant powered by generative AI. The rollout began in the United States in late February 2025, during the Early Access period, with plans for expansion to more customers over the coming months.

Alexa+ is designed to offer a more personalized and seamless user experience. It can plan daily schedules, explore trending topics, and provide personalized recommendations. One of the standout features is the ability to carry out natural conversations without the need for users to repeatedly say the wake word "Alexa".

The assistant also boasts impressive smart home capabilities. It can control multiple devices simultaneously with a single sentence, making home automation more convenient than ever.

Initially, Early Access priority goes to owners of Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 devices. The Echo Show 15 accommodates up to six standard-sized widgets, while the Echo Show 21 supports eight widgets on the home screen interface.

Amazon positions Alexa+ as a new Prime benefit, providing the service at no additional cost to Prime members. The system operates on Amazon Web Services infrastructure, leveraging world-class privacy and security protection.

Alexa+ implements personalized experiences through voice ID and visual ID systems on compatible Echo Show devices. Current language support is limited to English for customers in the United States, with device language settings required to be configured as "English United States" for compatibility.

Amazon has emphasized that Alexa+ incorporates built-in privacy protections and security measures, centralizing user interaction data and various settings within the Alexa Privacy dashboard. The company also highlighted user control over data and transparency in information handling.

However, specific technical details regarding data processing, storage duration, and third-party sharing policies were not detailed in the launch documentation. Amazon's advertising platform now includes Alexa as an advertising inventory source, following consolidation across owned properties.

Recently, Amazon DSP optimization capabilities have been unveiled, suggesting potential advertising opportunities within the enhanced voice assistant experience. Prospective users can register for Early Access consideration through amazon.com/newalexa.

Amazon claims that Alexa+ can orchestrate across tens of thousands of services simultaneously, a scale the company describes as representing unprecedented integration complexity. As of now, there is no publicly available information on the planned availability of Alexa+ outside the USA.

The U.S. rollout of Alexa+ marks a significant step forward in voice-controlled AI technology. With its improved functionality, enhanced privacy features, and integration with various devices and services, Alexa+ promises to redefine the way we interact with technology.