Amazon just announced a massive overhaul to Alexa—and it could reshape the way you interact with technology at home and beyond.
They’re calling it Alexa+, an upgraded assistant powered by a new wave of generative AI. And if it lives up to Amazon’s claims, it might transform your Amazon devices from basic voice helpers into full-blown conversational companions that truly understand you, your life, and your preferences.
But what exactly is Alexa+? And how might it impact you?
To get the inside scoop, I sat down with Marketing AI Institute founder and CEO Paul Roetzer on Episode 138 of The Artificial Intelligence Show.
A "Complete Re-Architecture"
At a high-profile event in New York, Amazon’s Devices and Services Chief described Alexa+ as a “complete re-architecture” of the original assistant. Translation: This is not just a few new features tacked on to the Alexa you already know.
With Alexa+, you'll be able to ask Alexa questions about your life, like how many books you’ve read this year, and it’ll respond based on your Amazon account data. The assistant is also designed to proactively deliver relevant updates, such as notifying you when concert tickets go on sale or helping you book dinner reservations.
Amazon also showcased how this new version of Alexa can see and interpret visual information. Using a device’s camera, Alexa+ can analyze what’s happening in your home, then respond to questions about it. Want to know who’s standing in the front yard on your Ring camera footage? Alexa+ may be able to tell you.
Amazon is making it clear that Alexa+ aims to be more than just a voice-controlled FAQ machine. They’re positioning it as a fully integrated personal helper that can handle sophisticated tasks.
That includes scanning your emails and documents (yes, you can upload those), making sense of them, and taking action—like converting details from an email into calendar entries and reminders.
It’s all part of Amazon’s plan to weave Alexa+ more deeply into your everyday life. The new offering will interact with Amazon’s broader smart home ecosystem, from music and movies to your Fire TV, so you can tell Alexa+ to jump to specific scenes in a show or to pull up relevant historical camera footage.
Amazon says Alexa+ will be an add-on service for $19.99 per month or free for Amazon Prime members. Early access will roll out first to Echo Show device owners, followed by a broader release soon after.
It’s Agentic—and That’s a Big Deal
One of the most notable things about Alexa+ is Amazon’s claim that the assistant will be able to do things autonomously. This is sometimes called “agentic AI,” meaning the model can navigate the web on its own to finish tasks (like booking a repair service), then update you when it’s done.
That could be potentially huge, says Roetzer. If it works as advertised, you might be able to use Alexa+ as an actual household assistant that books and manages home services appointments for you.
One example that Amazon shared:
Using Alexa+ to navigate a home repair job: fixing an oven. Alexa+ could get recommendations on who to hire, contact them, and book an appointment for you "behind the scenes."
Now, we'll see how this all actually works in practice. But the direction Amazon wants to go in is clear: A world where your voice assistant can take real actions on your behalf, not just recite basic facts.
The Data (and Privacy) Equation
One aspect of Alexa+ everyone’s buzzing about is personalization.
Amazon says Alexa+ can remember your specific preferences—like your dietary restrictions, favorite playlists, even important family recipes. It can then use these details to tailor its suggestions or help you plan events.
But that means Alexa+ is collecting and storing a considerable amount of personal information. Roetzer sees that as a double-edged sword. He wonders if everyone will give up the amount of data required to benefit from these features.
It also raises the question of just how Alexa+ will get all this data. Not all of us are running our lives through Amazon apps—especially in the workplace.
"If anything, this illuminates to me the opportunity Google has," says Roetzer. "Because, for me, all of this already lives in Google. They've got my calendar. They've got my email. I'm not moving that stuff to Amazon."
Apple in the Crosshairs
Alexa+ also raises a big question: Where does this leave Apple?
Everything demoed this week with Alexa+ is what Apple's Siri should be.
Unfortunately, Siri doesn't show signs of living up to its promise any time soon. Recent reports indicate that a fully intelligent Siri powered by Apple Intelligence may be as far off as 2027. And Apple's not in a much better spot in the meantime.
"Apple Intelligence still sucks," says Roetzer. "I'm not being overly harsh on Apple. They know it's bad."
Mike Kaput
As Chief Content Officer, Mike Kaput uses content marketing, marketing strategy, and marketing technology to grow and scale traffic, leads, and revenue for Marketing AI Institute. Mike is the co-author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing and the Future of Business (Matt Holt Books, 2022). See Mike's full bio.