Amazon adds personality options to Alexa+ for customised conversations

Amazon has introduced a new feature for its Alexa+ voice assistant that allows users to choose how the AI communicates with them. The update adds three personality styles designed to change the tone and manner of responses, giving users greater control over how the assistant speaks.

The new styles, called Brief, Chill, and Sweet, are available to all Alexa+ customers and can be activated in the Alexa app or via voice command. Amazon says the move is intended to make interactions with the assistant feel more personal and adaptable to individual preferences, rather than relying on a single default tone.

The change reflects a broader trend among technology companies to make AI-driven assistants feel more natural and human-like, while still offering flexibility for users who prefer concise or less conversational responses.

Three distinct communication styles for different users

The Brief personality is designed for users who want straightforward answers without additional conversation. In this mode, Alexa+ focuses on delivering information quickly and without small talk, appealing to those who value efficiency over interaction.

The Chill personality adopts a more relaxed and casual tone. Amazon describes it as easygoing, with a style inspired by informal and laid-back speech patterns. In a demonstration, when a user asked, “Alexa, how’s it going?”, the Chill voice responded, “Life’s treating me well – all systems are Zen and the digital universe is spinning in harmony.” The response aims to create a more conversational and friendly experience, particularly for users who prefer a light-hearted tone.

The Sweet personality takes a more upbeat and enthusiastic approach. This mode uses energetic language intended to sound cheerful and encouraging. In the same demonstration, the Sweet voice replied, “Absolutely fantastic! I’m radiating pure joy and ready to make your day incredibly amazing!” The contrast between the Chill and Sweet modes highlights how Amazon is experimenting with emotional expression in AI-generated speech.

Amazon has said the three options are intended to suit different communication preferences, acknowledging that users may want varying levels of personality in their digital assistant depending on context or personal taste.

How Amazon designed the personalities

According to Amazon, the new personalities are based on five underlying metrics: expressiveness, emotional openness, formality, directness and humour. These characteristics are adjusted in different combinations to create distinct communication styles, allowing the assistant to sound more or less formal, expressive, or humorous.

The company has indicated that these traits can be treated as adjustable parameters, suggesting that future updates could introduce additional personality types with different blends of these characteristics. This could allow Amazon to expand the range of conversational styles beyond the three currently available.

The introduction of personality styles also reflects growing competition in the AI assistant market, where companies are looking to differentiate their products by offering more human-like interactions. Other AI systems have already experimented with tone and conversational style, and Amazon’s move signals a push to keep Alexa+ relevant as generative AI becomes more common in consumer devices.

Amazon has not provided detailed technical information about how the personalities are implemented. Still, the feature is likely powered by changes in the language model and speech synthesis layers that control how Alexa+ constructs and delivers responses.

Availability and user controls

Users can switch between the personality styles using the Alexa mobile app or by speaking the command, “Alexa, change your personality style.” The same methods can be used to revert to the classic Alexa voice, allowing users to return to the default tone if they prefer.

All three personalities are available immediately for Alexa+ subscribers, and no additional cost has been announced for using the feature. Amazon has positioned the update as part of its ongoing enhancements to Alexa+, which has been promoted as a more advanced version of the traditional Alexa assistant with expanded AI capabilities.

The company’s decision to allow personality changes via voice command is designed to make the feature easy to use, reducing the need for users to navigate settings menus. This approach aligns with Amazon’s broader goal of making smart home and AI interactions more intuitive and accessible.

Industry observers note that giving users control over an assistant’s personality could improve engagement and satisfaction, particularly as AI systems become more embedded in daily routines. However, it also raises questions about how far companies should go in making AI systems appear personable, especially as users increasingly interact with them in social and emotional contexts.

For now, Amazon’s new personality styles represent a relatively simple way to personalise Alexa+ without requiring complex configuration. As the company continues to develop the platform, additional customisation options may follow, potentially including more nuanced controls over tone and conversational behaviour.