Amazon Alexa+ Reaches Over 1 Million Users in Early Access

Amazon's generative AI-powered voice assistant, Alexa+, has surpassed one million users in its early access program, marking a significant milestone as the company gradually expands availability through Echo smart speakers and displays. The rollout, which began in late March, is progressing cautiously to address technical issues and ensure a polished user experience, with plans to broaden access further over the summer. Alexa+ offers enhanced conversational capabilities, including more natural, free-flowing interactions, and features integration with music streaming services and abilities like booking tickets and tracking artist releases. Amazon has introduced Alexa+ with a new business model, charging $19.99 per month but offering it free to Prime members, signaling a shift toward monetizing AI development rather than using voice assistants as loss leaders. In contrast, Apple is struggling with its Siri overhaul due to technical failures, forcing a complete rebuild of the assistant, highlighting divergent strategies in the competitive AI assistant market. Google also continues to advance its AI offerings with deep integration of its Gemini AI into productivity tools, indicating intensifying competition among major tech companies.