Amazon’s AI-powered Alexa offers new and improved features for just about every user. Here’s how to get started and whether you should buy a new Echo device to try it out.
At its press event this week, Amazon announced a bevy of new devices, including a new range of Echo devices focused on supporting Alexa+. While its next-generation AI assistant is still in Early Access, I’ve been testing it for months and found it to be very capable, with more promising features on the way. Here’s how you can get your hands on it, what it can do for you, and if it’s worth investing in one of Amazon’s shiny new devices to try it out.How to Get Alexa+
If you buy one of Amazon’s new Echo devices, you get access to Alexa+ right out of the box, though you’ll have to wait for these products to officially launch. The Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio launch on Oct. 29, while the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 will be out on Nov. 12.
If you can’t wait, Alexa+ Early Access is available now in the US. To get started, you can enroll in Alexa+ during the setup process of a compatible device. Alternatively, visit the company’s Alexa+ store page and select Notify me. Or, say „Notify me when Alexa+ is available“ to one of your Echo devices or type „set up Alexa+“ in the Alexa app.
When Alexa+ is available, you’ll receive a notification on your mobile device and a welcome email at the address registered to your Amazon account. Alexa+ will then take you through an introductory process to learn about your preferences and create a profile. You’ll also be able to personalize Alexa+, including choosing one of its four masculine or four feminine voices.
You can opt out of Alexa+ early access at any time by visiting your Memberships & Subscriptions page and clicking End Early Access next to the service name.
When it exits beta, Alexa+ will be available for free to Prime members and $19.99 per month for everyone else.What Alexa+ Can Do For You
Alexa’s glow-up is more than just marketing. In my testing, I’ve found that it really has become a more capable service. This is all part of what Amazon is calling its „ambient AI“ push. The idea is that Amazon wants its services, devices, and AI model to be accessible wherever you are, as long as you’re within range of one of its smart speakers or displays, or your mobile device.
While I was initially skeptical of this „upgrade“, I must admit that I’ve found it genuinely useful to have easy access to AI. Amazon has largely delivered on the promise of a smarter, more conversational assistant. It’s not so much that Alexa+ is adding revolutionary new features that other AI models don’t offer, but rather that it’s combining a multitude of functions in a ubiquitous service that’s incorporated into a variety of devices I already own.
