Key Points:
- Alexa+ is now available to all U.S. customers after a year-long preview period.
- The service costs $19.99 monthly but is included free with an Amazon Prime membership.
- The AI acts as an “agent” to handle tasks like booking rides and manages multiple queries at once.
- Amazon reports users are talking to Alexa+ two to three times more than the classic version.
Amazon officially opened its new Alexa+ service to all U.S. customers on Wednesday. This launch arrives nearly a year after the company first introduced the upgraded, AI-driven assistant. Until now, the service remained in an “early access” phase, meaning people needed an invitation or had to buy specific new devices to try it out.
Amazon pitches Alexa+ as a massive upgrade to the original voice assistant that launched back in 2014. While the old Alexa could set timers or play music, this new version uses generative AI to handle much harder tasks. It can answer multiple questions in a single turn and acts as a personal “agent.” For example, the assistant can now book a repair service or call an Uber for you directly.
The biggest change for consumers is the price tag. Starting Wednesday, Amazon charges $19.99 per month for Alexa+. However, the company includes the service for free if you already pay $139 a year for a Prime membership. Anyone can try a free version via the app or website, though Amazon says it will limit access based on how many people are using it.
Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s VP of Alexa and Echo, says the data shows the product is a hit. He noted that users talk to Alexa+ two to three times more than they did with the standard version. “Every week in a customer’s journey, engagement goes up,” Rausch stated, distinguishing it from electronics that people buy and quickly forget.
The rollout hasn’t been perfect. Amazon recently started automatically upgrading some Prime members to Alexa+, which frustrated users who preferred the classic experience. Amazon clarified that users can revert to the old version simply by using a voice command.
This overhaul is Amazon’s direct response to the rise of competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude. The original Alexa changed the game by letting users chat with a speaker. Now, Amazon is shifting focus. They are putting the Alexa+ website and app front and center, acknowledging that most people today interact with AI through text or voice on their phone screens rather than just smart speakers.
