Alexa+ might just be worth it for these 5 features

Summary

Alexa+ streamlines routines and schedules for smart devices.
The upgraded AI software enhances conversational interactions.
Alexa+ offers cross-app support for seamless task completion.

Amazon recently revealed Alexa+, the tech giant’s new AI-driven upgrade to its long-running virtual assistant. Harnessing the power of Amazon Nova and working with Anthropic, Amazon has designed a new Large Language Model (LLM) for Alexa+. The new software aims to unify smart home products, schedules, and third-party apps to improve conversational aspects when interacting with Alexa. Alexa+ is scheduled to launch in the US sometime in March for $20 per month or as an included benefit to Amazon Prime.

From a bird’s eye view, Alexa+ may make controlling Amazon products in your home easier. It will also likely be able to contextually understand how to better order new products from Amazon. The model is designed to have a better personality and build on the conversation at hand, and (best of all) the software can recognize who is speaking and understand their personal preferences. However, when you strip back the layers, there are several exciting features to look forward to. Even as someone who’s been bullish on AI, Alexa+ has a chance to really fit within my lifestyle.

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1 Alexa+ can unify your smart home device

Creating routines and schedules may become a lot easier

A person standing in front of a computer monitor.

One of the hobbies I’ve adopted over the last few years has been building out a network of smart home devices and lights. In recent years, I transitioned to using Echo devices and Alexa as the central core of my smart home. The issue is that it’s so tiresome and frustrating to set individual schedules for the smart devices that create my personalized routines. On paper, Alexa+ should mitigate and streamline this process.

Ideally, if you’d like to create a bedtime routine, Alexa+ can help dim the lights and ensure your security system is activated. The AI software could even control your home’s temperature to make sure it’s comfortable when you crawl into bed. While Amazon didn’t discuss this, I imagine that Alexa+ could interact with a Fire TV and pick up my bedtime show at some point. If the upgraded AI works as intended, gone are the days of meticulously syncing and organizing all your smart products to create your daily routines.

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2 Amazon’s new software leverages conversational inquiries

Alexa+ can build on previous questions and tasks, so you don’t have to start from scratch

Some of the most frustrating things about Alexa — as it stands — are the barriers when interacting with the software. By asking Alexa about the weather, you can learn about current conditions. However, every interaction is so rigid. With Alexa+ you can request a follow-up like “What about tomorrow?” and the AI will interpret — naturally — that you want to know about tomorrow’s forecast.

Amazon’s LLM is designed to help Alexa+ feel like you’re speaking to a person. The upgraded assistant even has a more refined personality with inflections.

The same goes for asking Alexa+ questions regarding a recipe. If Alexa+ is helping you prepare a batch of banana bread, and you have questions along the way, you won’t have to repeat yourself or reestablish the fact that you’re baking banana bread. Amazon’s LLM is designed to help Alexa+ feel like you’re speaking to a person. The upgraded assistant even has a more refined personality with inflections.

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3 Alexa+ can queue up a moment in a movie based on the soundtrack

This feature is going to get so much use from weirdos like me

A man pointing in two different directions.

In the behind-closed-doors reveal of Alexa+, Amazon demoed what I thought was a truly remarkable feature of the software. Panos Panay, Amazon’s head of Devices and Services, first asked Alexa+ to find “the song Bradley Cooper sings with Lady Gaga.” Quickly, Alexa+ queued up Shallow from A Star is Born. After instructing the AI to play the song on specific Echo Studio speakers in the hall, Alexa+ was asked to do something awe-inspiring.

Thanks to the integrations and compatibility with devices like Fire TV, Panay asked Alexa+ to bring up the moment this song played in the movie. Sure enough, in a matter of seconds, A Star is Born was brought up on the display when he requested. Now, of course, this isn’t going to be a ubiquitous feature of Alexa+. In fact, I’m not even sure many users will end up taking advantage of it. However, I can already see myself asking Alexa+ to pull the scene when Alan Silvestri’s Portals routinely plays in Avengers: Endgame.

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4 Alexa+ can analyze Ring camera video feeds better

The AI can recognize instances captured on your Ring security system

In a very cool demonstration I experienced, Alexa+ quickly and efficiently analyzed Ring camera video feed to find contextual information. Panay showed his own Ring feed as he asked Alexa+ if anyone in the home walked his dog during the day. Alexa+ then scrubbed through the video and pulled up the clip where his husky was taken out for an afternoon stroll.

With this algorithmic analysis built-in, Alexa+ can offer far more intuitive insights into what’s occurring at your home whether you’re there or not. This readily available access can help identify when a package is delivered if a visitor swings by, etc. If users can pull up need-to-know info at an accessible rate, this feature could be invaluable for so many households.

An Amazon Echo 4 speaker in front of AI imagery.

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5 Third-party cross-app support could be a game-changer

Amazon is partnering with a ton of apps to leverage Alexa+

As announced by Amazon, Alexa+ will feature integrations across OpenTable, GrubHub, TripAdvisor, Uber, Dyson, Forbes, Sonos, and many other partnering apps. With this in mind, one of the things I’m most looking forward to is taking advantage of cross-app recognition and contextual uses. In a demonstration, Alexa+ can pick up on the personal preferences and dietary needs of a user.

When organizing a dinner out, Alexa+ can offer suggestions for restaurants based on your preferences. Once a decision is made, Alexa+ can then interact with OpenTable to book a reservation. After that, the AI assistant can then jump over to Uber and book a ride to get you there on time.

Deeper integrations and usefulness will have to come from third parties before Alexa+ has access to utilize them.

So many AI-driven pieces of software have promised deep cross-app functionality. However, in most cases, the AI fails to establish contextual clues, whether it’s location, time, preferences, etc. If Alexa+ can work as shown in the demo, I’ll be elated. It’s worth noting that a lot of these hinge on partnering developers also taking advantage of Alexa+. Deeper integrations and usefulness will have to come from third parties before Alexa+ has access to utilize them.

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