Amazon’s Generative AI Alexa: The Biggest Leap Yet
Amazon is set to release its long-awaited generative AI-powered Alexa voice service, according to sources familiar with the matter, as reported by Reuters. A significant upgrade from its initial iteration, the new Alexa aims to offer advanced conversational abilities and more autonomous functionality.
This new version of Alexa has been on the cards for a while ever since the breakthrough of LLM technology however it seemed that Amazon have been working for a long time to perfect this new feature before deploying to billions of Alexa devices.
The Upcoming Launch
Amazon has sent out press invitations for an event on February 26 in New York, hosted by Panos Panay, the head of its devices and services team. While details remain scarce, the event is confirmed to be Alexa-focused.
The new generative AI-powered Alexa represents both an opportunity and a risk for Amazon. With more than half a billion Alexa-enabled devices in the market, Amazon hopes the revamp will convert some of its users into paying customers. Currently there no subscription model to use an Alexa device.
Unlike its current iteration, which processes one request at a time, the AI-driven Alexa will be capable of handling multiple prompts in sequence. It will also act as an “agent,” taking actions on behalf of users without direct involvement.
It will also be interesting to see if barging in will be enabled, rather than the user having to say Alexa or wait for Alexa to stop to reply. This is a feature that OpenAI have been pushing with their voice interaction mode on ChatGPT.
Alexa currently uses a mix of first-party features, integration with data providers (sport, finance etc.), and third-party Alexa skills to answer user’s questions.
This new version will start to use generative AI to answer questions; however, one assumes that there will be a mix of the older system which doesn’t require an LLM to power, e.g. time, weather, and common high-frequency requests.
Executives have scheduled a final evaluation meeting, known as a “Go/No-go,” for February 14, where they will determine Alexa’s readiness.
The Impact on Alexa Smart Properties
The launch of Alexa AI could have profound implications for Alexa Smart Properties, industries such as hospitality, sports stadiums senior living, healthcare, and residential communities.
The biggest impact could be for senior living, healthcare, and residential communities that use Alexa. There is a chance for residents to have an ongoing chat with the new AI powered version. This idea was first banded around a year ago as “Let’s Chat”. This could be a great way for the user to have a conversational chat with maintains context and is not restricted to the content created by a 3rd party skill.
Will users have to pay for the new Alexa AI?
Initially, the new Alexa AI service will apparently roll out to a limited number of users for free. However, Amazon has reportedly considered a subscription fee between $5 and $10 per month. The company will continue supporting “Classic Alexa” for those who prefer the current version, though no new features will be added to it.
For now, all eyes and ears will be on the event on the 26th of February.