Amazon’s Alexa+ AI: Where Are the Users? Delayed Rollout and Missing Features Fuel Uncertainty
More than six weeks after Amazon's grand unveiling of Alexa+, the generative AI-powered voice assistant, the big question remains: where are the users? While Amazon claims "hundreds of thousands" have access, verifiable public reviews and reactions are conspicuously absent, raising questions about the rollout and the readiness of the service.
Alexa+ was heralded as Amazon's answer to the AI chatbot revolution, a revitalized Alexa capable of far more sophisticated interactions than its predecessor. CEO Andy Jassy himself highlighted the service at a February event, promising customers would receive invite access in late March. Yet, the silence from users is deafening.
"There seems to be no one who actually has it," said Avi Greengart, lead analyst at Techsponential. This sentiment is echoed by the lack of evidence found across news sites, YouTube, TikTok, X, BlueSky, Meta's Instagram and Facebook, and even Amazon's own Twitch and Echo device reviews. Attempts by Reuters to corroborate claims of usage on Reddit proved unsuccessful.
Amazon maintains that "hundreds of thousands of customers now have access to Alexa+," citing that the number has risen from the 100,000 reported on May 1. However, the company has declined to explain the absence of public feedback or provide access to active Alexa+ users for interviews.
Sources familiar with the matter suggest the rollout of Amazon AI-assisted Alexa+ is proceeding slowly and faces challenges. The service reportedly struggles with speed in answering certain questions and occasionally generates inaccurate or fabricated information, a common issue with AI models. Furthermore, it is proving expensive to operate.
The upgraded Alexa is designed to enable users to seek tailored shopping advice, like curating vacation outfits, and receive aggregated news stories. It is meant to handle complex requests such as ordering food for delivery while simultaneously remembering a user's dietary preferences. However, early access users are reportedly missing key features demonstrated at the launch, including ordering food on Grubhub via conversation and visually identifying family members during conversations.
Americus Reed, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, suggests that Amazon's extended gap between the launch and general availability is hindering the building of anticipation for Alexa+. "Instead, this makes it look like they are worried about something," he stated.
The delayed rollout and missing features evoke comparisons to Apple's Siri AI upgrade delays. The question now is whether Amazon can overcome these hurdles and deliver on the promise of a truly intelligent and useful Alexa+. With staggered rollouts, many Amazon customers will have to wait quite some time. If you're desperate to see what Amazon is doing with the latest Alexa AI tech, Amazon has mentioned that during the early access period, it will focus on releasing Alexa Plus for Echo Shows. If you have an Echo Show 8, Show 10, Show 15 or Show 21, you're more likely to see an offer for Alexa Plus if you sign up for the program.
What are your thoughts on the Alexa+ rollout? Do you think Amazon can overcome the challenges and deliver a compelling AI-powered voice assistant? Share your opinions in the comments below.
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