If you’ve been waiting to try Amazon’s new and improved digital assistant, Alexa+, you’re not alone. Over 100,000 users have already received access to the upgraded version, according to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. He shared the update during Amazon’s earnings call on May 2.
While this number might seem small compared to the 600 million Alexa devices out there, it marks a promising start for the new version. Alexa+ was first introduced in February and is being released gradually, with more users getting access in stages over the coming months.
Generative AI powers this upgraded assistant so that you can expect more natural conversations and smarter replies. Instead of giving the same pre-written answers as the older Alexa, this version can create responses on the spot. It’s similar to voice tools that OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini use.
Eventually, Alexa+ is expected to do even more—like acting on your behalf through third-party apps. For example, you might be able to ask it to order food through GrubHub or get help finding the perfect gift idea. However, those features aren’t available yet.
Many features are still missing from Alexa+
Although Alexa+ sounds exciting, the version you can use today lacks several key features that Amazon showed during its February demo. As reported by The Washington Post, it currently can’t generate bedtime stories, suggest gifts, or work with other apps like food delivery services.
There’s no official timeline for when these features will become available. But Amazon insists they’re coming. “We plan to add much more functionality in the coming months,” Jassy said.
Despite the current limitations, Jassy believes Alexa+ is one of the first AI tools for everyday tasks at home. However, he admitted that the technology still has a long way to go. He described it as “primitive” and said accuracy levels for multi-step tasks are still relatively low—between 30% and 60%.
Amazon is aiming higher, though. The team behind Alexa+’s core browsing tool, Nova Act, is working toward a goal of 90% accuracy for more reliable results.
Amazon moves quicker than Apple in AI assistant race
While Amazon is slowly rolling out Alexa+, Apple is taking even more time to upgrade to Siri. During Apple’s earnings call, simultaneously with Amazon’s, CEO Tim Cook said their version of a generative AI-powered Siri isn’t ready yet. He said the team needs “more time to complete the work.”
Both companies are racing to bring AI assistants into the modern era, but it hasn’t been easy. One of the biggest challenges is teaching AI to use tools and apps correctly. This includes everyday tasks like setting reminders or sending texts. While these might sound simple, getting large language models (LLMs) to do them reliably is tricky.
For now, Amazon is ahead in making its assistant smarter, but there’s still a long road ahead before Alexa+ can do everything you might expect from an AI helper. The company remains confident that the features you promised in February will start to show up soon.
