Amazon just introduced a new Alexa service at its 2025 Devices & Services event, giving its home assistant the power of AI. This makes Alexa much smarter, giving its smart speakers some new superpowers.
Introducing Alexa+, Powered by AI
ChatGPT’s launch in 2022 made AI much more accessible to the average person, so it was just a matter of time before someone put it in a smart speaker. Google was one of the first companies to do so, integrating Gemini AI on some Google Nest models. However, it’s still in the testing phase and has several limitations. So, Amazon just beat the search giant to a wider release with the launch of Alexa+.
If you have an Alexa speaker, you can soon upgrade it to Alexa+ which will give you a few key advantages. Amazon says that by adding this feature to your smart speaker, it’ll be much easier to talk to Alexa. That’s because it understands you better by using AI models like Amazon Nova and Anthropic Claude via Amazon Bedrock. So, even if you pause and think, use colloquial expressions, and give complex commands, Alexa+ should be able to understand you like any other adult.
Amazon also created a feature called “experts” which are “groups of systems, capabilities, APIs, and instructions that accomplish specific types of tasks for customers.” This will allow you to easily use your IoT appliances, access your apps, get reminders, and more, straight from the speaker.
Aside from that, it also remembers you and your family’s preferences and will consider that with everything it does. If you tell Alexa+ your allergies, it will store that information to avoid suggesting menu items that you cannot eat when your order food in the future.
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You Need to Pay if You Want the Smarter Version of Alexa
All these features and more are great for bringing voice AI to many more people, especially as there are over 600 million Alexa devices around the world. However, this service isn’t free—Alexa+ costs $19.99 a month if you’re signing up just for it, which could be quite steep. But if you’re already an Amazon Prime member, the Alexa+ subscription will automatically come with it, adding more Amazon Prime benefits that you might’ve overlooked.
This makes Amazon Prime membership practically a steal, especially as it only costs $14.99 a month in the US; about $5 cheaper than just the Alexa+ subscription. It’s much more affordable, too, if you’re a college student or young adult (ages 18-24), with the monthly price falling to just $7.49.
Note that Alexa+ will initially be available in the US only, and that its release will be rolled out slowly. Amazon says that Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 devices will be the first to get this feature in the coming months as part of its early access period. But if you really want to try out these AI capabilities as soon as possible, Amazon says that you should buy one of these devices now and sign-up at the New Alexa page to be considered for early access.
