Amazon has officially launched Alexa+, a more advanced version of its popular voice assistant. This new model brings smarter features enabled by AI. One key upgrade? A “model agnostic” system that picks the best AI model for each task.
At a New York City press event, Amazon VP Daniel Rausch explained how Alexa+ works. It runs on Bedrock, Amazon’s cloud platform for AI experimentation. This setup allows Alexa+ to access various AI models, including Amazon’s own Nova and those from AI partner Anthropic.
A Smarter, More Adaptive AI
Unlike older versions, Alexa+ doesn’t rely on a single AI model. Instead, it picks the most suitable one for each request. Amazon described this in a blog post as a “sophisticated routing system” that ensures smooth and natural conversations.
This approach gives Alexa+ “agentic” abilities. It can take on complex tasks, acting as a digital assistant that gets things done. To make this happen, Alexa+ introduces “experts.” These are specialized AI tools that handle specific jobs. They work with Amazon’s services and third-party apps, like AI startup Suno’s music-generation tools.
Works With Thousands of Devices and Services
At launch, Alexa+ will support “tens of thousands” of devices and services. This includes smart home gadgets, entertainment platforms, and news sources.
Amazon has partnered with major media outlets, including Time, Reuters, and the Associated Press. These partnerships let Alexa+ provide real-time updates on news, financial markets, and more. This means users won’t need to switch between multiple sources for the latest information.
More Than Just a Voice Assistant
Alexa+ doesn’t just answer questions, it completes tasks. For example, if an oven breaks, Alexa+ can search for a repair professional and schedule a service.
“Alexa takes a couple of minutes to navigate a website. Then, it comes back to tell me it’s done,” Rausch explained. “I get a notification on my phone when Alexa has finished.”
Seamless Task Coordination
Alexa+ can also handle multiple tasks at once. Imagine planning a dinner night out. Alexa+ can:
- Make a reservation
- Book an Uber to the restaurant
- Text your partner with the details
This is possible thanks to the soon-to-launch Alexa AI Multi-Agent SDK. Developers will soon be able to integrate their own services into Alexa+.
