Alexa+: Amazon’s Next-Generation Conversational AI Assistant

Amazon has rolled out Alexa+, an upgraded generative AI version of its Alexa voice assistant, to all U.S. customers. Built to move beyond simple voice commands, Alexa+ blends natural conversation, task automation, and integrations with third-party services to act more like an agentic assistant — one that can help plan, schedule, and complete multi-step tasks on your behalf.

What is Alexa+ and how does it differ from the original Alexa?

Alexa+ represents a step change from traditional voice assistants. Where classic Alexa focused on executing discrete commands — play music, set a timer, turn on a light — Alexa+ is designed for sustained, multi-turn conversations and higher-level assistance. It is model-agnostic, meaning Amazon combines its own foundation models with other best-in-class AI models as needed, selecting the most appropriate technology for a given task.

Key capabilities

Natural, follow-up conversations that keep context across multiple turns.
Complex task completion, including itinerary planning, calendar updates, and finding and saving recipes.
Service integrations that enable practical actions like booking rides, reserving tables, and ordering services through partner platforms.
Customizable interaction settings, including follow-up mode and voice variants.

Is Alexa+ free for Prime members?

Yes — in the U.S., Alexa+ is available at no additional cost to Prime members across supported devices. Non-Prime users can access Alexa+ via a paid standalone subscription. The web and mobile experiences include usage limits intended to prevent abuse, while the full, unlimited experience is included for Prime subscribers.

How Alexa+ works behind the scenes

Alexa+ uses a hybrid approach to AI. Amazon runs a mix of in-house models and partner models, choosing the right model for each type of request. This model-agnostic architecture is intended to optimize for accuracy, latency, and task suitability — for example, using a model that excels at conversational context for extended dialogues and another that’s better at structured planning for itinerary creation.

Agentic behaviors and integrations

One of the most significant upgrades is Alexa+’s agentic capability — the assistant can act autonomously to carry out multi-step tasks after receiving permission. Examples include:

Planning a weekend itinerary, reserving restaurants, and suggesting activities.
Adding and updating entries on a shared calendar.
Finding recipes, saving them to a personalized library, and adjusting ingredient lists based on household preferences.

These agent-style behaviors are powered by integrations with service partners that allow Alexa+ to complete or initiate transactions on behalf of users.

Which devices support Alexa+?

Alexa+ is available across Amazon’s Echo lineup, Fire TV devices, the Alexa mobile app and website, and compatible partner hardware. Amazon is working with device partners to expand availability to third-party smart speakers, TVs, and other Alexa-enabled devices.

How do I enable Alexa+ on my device?

Getting started is straightforward. Typical steps include:

Open the Alexa app or visit Alexa.com.
Check for the Alexa+ onboarding prompt and accept the upgrade.
Adjust settings such as follow-up mode, voice preference, and privacy options in the app.
Explore sample queries and integrations to learn what Alexa+ can do for you.

Users who prefer the previous Alexa experience can revert to the earlier version through settings — Amazon intends to keep that option available for the near term while iterating on the new assistant.

What privacy and control options are available?

Amazon has emphasized configurability: customers can disable follow-up mode (which allows Alexa to continue listening after a response), change voice settings, and control which services are linked to Alexa+. Alexa+ will also confirm ambiguous requests with clarifying prompts — for example, asking “Is that for me?” if the assistant is unsure who is being addressed — to reduce unintended interruptions.

Additionally, usage limits on web and mobile access are in place to mitigate abuse. Users should review linked-account and third-party permissions to control which services Alexa+ can access on their behalf.

How well has Alexa+ performed in early testing?

During its extended beta period, Alexa+ showed promising engagement gains. Early reports indicate that customers who opted into the upgrade are having more frequent and deeper interactions, with notable increases in music streaming and recipe engagement. Amazon also iterated on onboarding and voice options after receiving user feedback about conversational flow and vocal preferences.

Common beta-era improvements

Refined onboarding to make voice switching and privacy settings clearer.
Reduced unwanted interruptions by adding disambiguation prompts.
Voice tuning to preserve familiar voice characteristics while adding natural inflection.

What are the risks and operational considerations?

Any assistant with agentic capabilities raises questions about security, safety, and enterprise controls. Organizations and users should consider:

Account and payment authorization safeguards for third-party services.
Auditability and logs for actions taken by the assistant on a user’s behalf.
Clear opt-in and opt-out flows for agentic features that act autonomously.

For enterprise teams evaluating voice-driven automation and agent platforms, see our related coverage on AI Agent Management Platform: Enterprise Best Practices and the security implications summarized in Agentic AI Security: Preventing Rogue Enterprise Agents.

How does Alexa+ fit into the broader voice AI landscape?

Alexa+ is part of a broader shift toward conversational, context-aware interfaces that transform voice from a utility into a primary user interface. These developments echo trends we’ve covered in depth about how voice will evolve as the next UI — see Voice AI Interface: How Voice Will Become the Next UI — where voice assistants become central hubs for discovery, transactions, and productivity.

Who should adopt Alexa+ now?

Alexa+ is a practical upgrade for a few kinds of users:

Prime members who want unlimited access to advanced voice capabilities without an additional fee.
Households that rely on shared calendars, recipes, and recurring planning tasks and want a voice-first way to manage those workflows.
Early adopters and developers exploring integrations and agentic behaviors for smart home and productivity scenarios.

How does Amazon price Alexa+ for non-Prime users?

Non-Prime customers can subscribe to Alexa+ as a standalone service for a monthly fee comparable to other premium AI assistant plans. The web and mobile free tier provides limited access to reduce abuse, while the full-featured experience is reserved for Prime subscribers or paid subscribers.

What’s next for Alexa+?

Amazon will continue to refine Alexa+ across several dimensions: improved conversational safety, expanded third-party integrations for deeper task completion, more device partnerships, and richer customization of personality and voice. Expect ongoing updates that address early feedback about verbosity, interruptions, and voice preference to make the assistant feel more natural and useful.

Developer and partner opportunities

Developers and platform partners can extend Alexa+ by building integrations that let the assistant act on users’ behalf. As with any agentic platform, partners must follow best practices around permissioning, transparency, and user control.

Summary

Alexa+ marks Amazon’s move to a more capable, conversational, and agentic voice assistant. Free for Prime members in the U.S. and available via subscription for others, it combines multi-turn chat, third-party integrations, and configurable privacy controls. While there are tradeoffs to manage — especially around autonomous actions and permissions — Alexa+ offers a clear preview of how voice assistants will evolve toward more proactive and helpful roles in everyday life.

Want to learn more?

Explore related coverage on agent management and voice interfaces to understand how to safely build and deploy voice assistants in your home or organization:

Call to action

Ready to try Alexa+? If you’re a Prime member, enable Alexa+ from the Alexa app or visit Alexa.com to get started. For developers and enterprise readers, subscribe to Artificial Intel News to receive in-depth analysis on voice AI, agentic assistants, and best practices for secure deployments.

What are You Looking for?

Alexa+ Launch: What Amazon’s New AI Assistant Does