Amazon may make this Alexa feature paid

Amazon is planning a significant overhaul for Alexa by including generative AI capabilities into the voice assistant, a report has said, adding that the company may introduce a two-tiered structure to use the service. While the e-commerce giant hasn’t said anything about the pricing, the report claims that the company may introduce a subscription for $5.

Citing sources familiar with the project, news agency Reuters reports that Amazon may charge a monthly subscription fee of around $5 for access to a more advanced version of the AI. This premium tier would likely offer enhanced capabilities compared to the current, free version of Alexa.

This may mean that the new Alexa won’t be bundled with the popular Prime membership. Amazon is also reported to be calling the new voice assistant “Remarkable Alexa”.

Amazon is also said to be working to replace “Classic Alexa,” which is the current version available to user for free, with an AI-powered one for which people may have to pay at least $5 per month to access. Some of the people also told the Reuters that Amazon has also considered a $10-per-month price.

When “Remarkable Alexa” will be launched
Three sources told the news agency that Amazon has given employees a deadline of August to prepare the newest version of Alexa and CEO Andy Jassy is said to be overlooking the developments. In an April letter to shareholders, Jassy talked about a “more intelligent and capable Alexa.” However, Amazon’s plans for Alexa including pricing and release dates could be altered or canceled.

“We have already integrated generative AI into different components of Alexa, and are working hard on implementation at scale—in the over half a billion ambient, Alexa-enabled devices already in homes around the world—to enable even more proactive, personal, and trusted assistance for our customers,” an Amazon assured was quoted as saying.

Sources familiar with the company’s plans say senior management has emphasized the potential of Alexa with conversational AI capabilities to generate meaningful sales for Amazon.

Amazon has been looking to keep up with rivals – Google, Microsoft and ChatGPT maker OpenAI – in the generative AI space. Meanwhile, Apple too has jumped on the AI ​​bandwagon and is updating its Siri voice assistant.