Panos and I talked the day after he announced Alexa Plus, the new AI-powered version of Amazon’s famous voice assistant, and this episode gets pretty deep into the weeds of how

The AI-powered assistant will be available for $19.99 or for free if you're an Amazon Prime member. The updated assistant uses generative AI and reasoning to help complete tasks. Alexa Plus also remembers facts about you to cater to you specifically.

The biggest surprise at Amazon’s press conference last week was the lack of hardware announcements. Traditionally, Amazon announces dozens of new gadgets at its events, but this time, Amazon spent 70 minutes talking about software. Specifically, Alexa Plus, its new generative AI-powered Alexa voice assistant. And that was exactly the right move.

Amazon debuted a more sophisticated version of Alexa on Wednesday that’s more conversational and can handle tasks on your behalf. But in a surprising departure from its usual playbook, the company didn’t announce new Echo devices to go with its revamped digital helper.

Amazon has designed the new version of its popular smart-home assistant to use generative and agentic AI to do more for users through more natural interactions.

Amazon launches Alexa+, a new AI assistant, enhancing daily life and travel planning with partnerships including Tripadvisor and Uber.

At the event, Panos Panay, Amazon’s vice president of devices & services, listed off the other things the voice assistant can now do, such as create study plans, text a babysitter and call an Uber ride for a friend. He and other company executives also ...

Amazon Alexa’s long-awaited AI overhaul is here, and it’s the biggest upgrade in the history of voice assistants.

NEW YORK — The much-anticipated, top-secret name for Amazon’s new voice assistant proved to be almost the same as the old one — just with a plus sign added.

Amazon is aiming to catch up in generative artificial intelligence and to reboot its virtual assistant, which has been leapfrogged by powerful chatbots.

Amazon's new and improved version of Alexa is called Alexa+. The next-generation upgrade is more conversational, can execute complex tasks, and is more personalized.

The effort carries significant weight at Amazon, which has plowed billions of dollars into Alexa since its launch in 2014.