Amazon Prime comes with an Alexa upgrade you should know about
Amazon's devices have learned some new tricks.
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AI Evolution
Amazon's Alexa is evolving. The conglomerate launched Alexa+, an upgraded version of its famous assistant, powered by generative AI. Built on large language models from Anthropic and Amazon's AI suite, Amazon Nova, the latest assistant is designed to be smarter, more conversational, and capable of handling complex interactions. From managing your home to acting as a personalized shopping assistant, Alexa+ coordinates across tens of thousands of services and devices.
Users can access the LLM-powered assistant through Alexa-enabled hardware such as Amazon Echo or Fire TV, new company tablets, mobile apps on iOS and Android, or via the official web portal for quick answers and research.
The AI system is now available to a wider audience, remaining free for all Amazon Prime subscribers who simply need to ask their smart device to upgrade. Non-subscribers can access the assistant through a standalone monthly subscription or test it in a limited capacity via the application and website.
Alexa+: Is it worth it?
Amazon created specific backend experts to gather information and handle specialized tasks. Users can tailor conversation tones by filtering through four distinct personality styles: Brief, Chill, Sweet, and Sassy.
Agentic functionalities allow Alexa to navigate the internet and complete background tasks. Third-party integrations with services like Ticketmaster, Uber, Grubhub, and OpenTable expand capabilities beyond standard music and weather controls, theoretically letting the assistant book entire outings.
However, early adopters note that the system suffers from consistency issues, memory limitations, occasional lag, and hearing inaccuracies, meaning users still need to double-check outputs.
Overall, Alexa+ is experiencing the typical growing pains of modern AI products, offering a capable tool for household organization while falling short of entirely transformative marketing claims.
How to get Alexa+
Access is provided for free via the web and app with usage limits. Prime subscribers and owners of select compatible hardware like Fire TV devices receive full access at no extra cost.
Full access is currently concentrated in the United States and Canada, with early access programs expanding to Mexico, the UK, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Australia, Spain, and India.
Standalone full access costs $19.99 per month for non-Prime members, whereas Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139 annually, bundling the AI features alongside standard shipping, video, and music benefits.
Users can update compatible hardware with a voice command or log in to the web portal. A 30-day trial may be available for eligible accounts.
