Amazon Rolls Out Alexa Plus with Generative AI to 100000 Users

Amazon has officially launched Alexa+, an advanced digital assistant powered by generative AI, to over 100,000 users. This rollout marks a significant step forward from the traditional Alexa system, which relied on predetermined responses, moving towards a more natural, conversational AI experience.

First unveiled in February, Alexa+ is designed to generate original responses dynamically, similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. Its goal is to eventually have agentic abilities, meaning it can autonomously use third-party applications on behalf of users to complete tasks such as ordering food or brainstorming ideas.

However, the current version of Alexa+ lacks some key features demonstrated during its initial reveal. For example, it cannot yet integrate with third-party apps like GrubHub, generate bedtime stories, or assist with gift brainstorming. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy confirmed that these functionalities will be added in future updates.

Jassy also emphasized that while Alexa+ is among the first consumer-facing, action-oriented AI agents, the technology remains "primitive" and "inaccurate". Current multi-step AI agents typically achieve accuracy rates between 30% and 60%. Amazon aims to improve this significantly, targeting 90% accuracy for its web-browsing agent, Nova Act, which powers Alexa+.

Amazon’s progress with Alexa+ appears to outpace competitors like Apple, whose LLM-powered Siri is still facing delays. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that more time is needed to complete Siri’s AI enhancements, highlighting the challenges in integrating large language models with practical assistant functions.

The development of AI-powered digital assistants like Alexa+ underscores the complexity of enabling these systems to perform multi-step tasks accurately and seamlessly. Integrating AI with third-party tools is particularly challenging but essential for delivering practical, real-world utility to users.

As generative AI continues to evolve, Alexa+ represents a major milestone in transforming voice assistants from scripted responders into proactive, intelligent agents capable of enhancing user experiences across diverse applications.