Amazon sent out five different invites to its upcoming product event, and when pieced together, they spell out a familiar word: Alexa, the name of the company’s digital voice assistant.
We assumed the event would be about Alexa’s long-heralded renaissance, and given this message, plus Amazon telling Reuters that the event will be Alexa-focused, it seems certain the new Alexa will arrive this month.
The not-so-hidden message suggests that at the event, which is being held on February 26th in New York City, Amazon will launch the new generative AI-powered version of its voice assistant. First announced in September 2023, this “New” Alexa has suffered numerous delays along with reported struggles to merge Alexa’s existing capabilities with the revamped voice assistant. But it looks like it’s go time.
Reuters also reports that, according to people familiar with the matter, the upgraded Alexa debuting at the event will show off new features, including responding to multiple prompts in sequence and acting “as an ‘agent’ on behalf of users by taking actions for them without their direct involvement.”
Amazon will roll out the new Alexa to a limited number of users first, and it will initially be free, according to Reuters. When the new Alexa was first announced, Amazon’s former head of Devices & Services, Dave Limp, told The Verge they might charge for the service but would keep the “Classic Alexa” free. Subsequent reports indicated Amazon was considering charging as much as $10 a month for it.
However, there is still a chance the New Alexa will be a no-show. Reuters also reports that Amazon executives have scheduled a “Go/No-go” meeting for February 14, where they will “make a final decision on the ‘street readiness’ of Alexa’s generative AI revamp.”